


Making the Flowers Grow

by wittykitsune



Series: Conquestuck [1]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Abuse of Authority, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Body Horror, Bulges and Nooks, Death, Drugs, F/F, F/M, Gore, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Mind Control, Non Consensual, Original Character Death(s), SS Davekat Fanfic Contest, Slavery, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Trauma, Wordcount: 30.000-50.000, Xeno, conquered earth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-09
Updated: 2013-10-17
Packaged: 2017-11-03 02:59:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 14
Words: 37,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/376355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wittykitsune/pseuds/wittykitsune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Act 1 of Conquestuck</p>
<p>In exchange for the gift of life Karkat Vantas is given an unpleasant duty on the conquered Earth. Dave and his Bro had been on the run from the forces of the troll invaders. After Bro's death Dave is captured and swears hatred for all trolls. Is there anything that could ever change that? What has become of his friends? </p>
<p>When Dave ends up in Karkat's care and witnesses how his superiors treat him will his hatred for all trolls remain or can he learn that they aren't all the same? When Karkat suffers horrendous treatment at the hands of two trolls tasked with making sure he does his job he struggles with the hopelessness of his situation. Can they ever be free again?<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Gardener

Home.

This place wasn’t home for Karkat Vantas. This place was foreign. He didn’t belong here. None of them belonged here. They were invaders. They had conquered this race, these humans. He tightened his grip on the reins of the earth hoofbeasts he had come to know were once called horses. He considered what he always considered when he drove this carriage out to the food growing facility, he didn’t belong here either. The cart, his foreign hive, the hoofbeasts, all of it was stolen and given to him. What did the humans get in return? Enslavement. The entire race had been judged and those fit for tasks or labor were divided into their specialty and the rest were either sent to work in places much like the one he was heading for or they were killed on the spot. 

‘Fucking hot today.’ He thought as he adjusted the wide brimmed straw hat that kept the sun off his face. It wasn’t nearly as harsh as the Alternian sun but looking at it was still a horribly stupid idea, not to mention he could still burn in this one. The cart he was driving was currently empty and he was the only one on this stretch of rural road. ‘I wish they’d just fill or tear down some of these human hives and be done with it. It is a fucking ghost town with nobody between me and the farm. Even if there are thousands there. It would be fucking easier on them if she just let them work with the machines but no everyone has to earn their fucking keep and we should be grateful. Grateful. Yeah I’ll be fucking grateful on this godforsaken planet while you shoot through the stars not giving a shit about any of us unless we are making your life better. Over two thirds of a race dead and who knows it might be more like three fourths now. Thank you for the mercy your Highness kill so many of us and then put the rest to work in the name of being nice.’ 

The labor camp was a converted farm that had been fenced in. The equipment was put to use in other ways or on troll owned plantations. The food grown in these labor camps was not only to feed them and other humans but also to be sold as delicacies. Karkat’s diet was almost solely made from this food and it had begun to sicken him. 

The troll of a little over ten sweeps had no say in getting this assignment. It was considered good fortune for him to have a moirail of such fine blood and be given the privilege of living with the single promise of never breeding. He was lucky the Condesce hadn’t simply had his reproductive organs removed. He was allowed to live and thrive as long as he kept his head down, did his job, and didn’t attempt to procreate. It was a lonely existence and the work was unpleasant. Highly unpleasant. 

‘Damn seat…’ He shifted on the well worn brown cushion of the bench seat and tried not to touch his back to the wood. ‘Sand this fucker down later, maybe wash it first.’ He made a disgusted face, the cart sickened him. 

“Easy you two.” He spoke to the horses and took a few deep breaths and tried to remain calm. The two beasts in front of him had become attuned to his moods. They weren’t frightened of him but if he was ill at ease so were they and nervous horses could spook and he’d be risking a wreaked cart if not worse. Everything he couldn’t fix on his own cost him and it wasn’t money that was the problem, it was the hassle of dealing with trolls who knew him for what he was and were only letting him live because they knew he was suffering more this way. He flipped between wondering if this life was preferable to death so many times he’d begun to wonder if he did it just to have a debate with someone, even if it was himself. 

It was about a twenty five minute journey at a trot between his home and there with an empty cart. He took it slower depending on the load when he traveled back so it usually took longer to journey the four and a third miles. These two were a pair of large draft horses and he was very careful never to overwork them but to also keep them in condition. He’d been studying everything he could find on equine care and also relying on sources outside human books and internet, well the combined internet. They had taken over the infrastructure. 

‘Here I am, back again.’ He thought and sighed softly as the entrance to the compound came into view. The fence was very tall and covered in bits of razor wire, barbed wire, and welded bits of various sharpened metal. The small guard shack at the gate had three occupants, a pair of blue bloods he knew far too well and a human female from the camp that it looked like they had taken on as an errand runner. He could see through the window that she was pouring them ice water from a glass pitcher and had the same dead eyes as most of the humans he’d come into contact with. ‘Great they’ve been cleared for another one, I wonder how long before Eusuch gets bored of her or Auroch gets impatient and I’m the next troll she meets. Well doesn’t meet just is responsible for her.’ He felt his stomach turn a little. ‘I can’t even take my own fucking sick jokes about this now.’ 

He brought the cart to a halt outside the entrance and dropped down. He approached the door after letting them see him through the window. He had to knock twice before they opened the door to permit him. ‘Nooksniffers want me to blow my top as usual. Well I’m not giving them the satisfaction today. I’ll be nice and civil today.’ 

“Morning Auroch, morning Eusuch.” He made a short bow to each and didn’t look either of the bluebloods in the eyes. He kept his own bright crimson ones pointed toward the floor and slouched to keep himself looking small and unimportant or so he hoped. 

“Hey Crabs, get the message about the load? You’ll find the shit in the usual place.” Eusuch smirked at him, displaying the rows of razor sharp teeth in his slightly pointed mouth. He was running his thumb over the handle of his golok. Karkat ignored the stained look of the blade. 

Auroch grunted at Karkat and kept polishing his hammer. The larger of the two rarely said a word and usually let Eusuch do all the talking. He was huge and broad shouldered. Of the two he was the one Karkat didn’t think he could take if he had to. 

“I’ll clear the bodies right away. Thank you.” Karkat gave them each another bow and headed out quickly but he still kept himself low. The pair were the only trolls he ever was allowed to interact with in person. He and his moirail only ever were able to talk online and rarely now. Gamzee was kept busy with his duties. ‘I can’t give them any reason to make trouble. I can’t give them any justification in doing shit to me.’ 

“Let’s go.” He gave each horse a pat before he clicked his tongue and the pair began to trot again. He urged them forward and he passed the shack and turned them down the path to begin following the fence to the back of the compound. The fields were full of ripe or near ripe crops of many kinds, some troll but mostly human plants that he either knew or didn’t know by name yet. He recognized the field he was nearest to as spinach. It was a warm summer day and he could see harvesting going on in the distance. 

He stopped looking around and focused on heading for the pile he knew he’d find. He slowed the horses to a walk when he saw the ditch where they threw the dead. He counted at least a dozen human bodies of various injuries, a couple of them were bloodier than most. He pulled a white handkerchief from the pocket of his black jeans after halting the cart again and tied it over his mouth. He pulled a brown canvas bag from under the seat and counted out fourteen thin white sheets. He also pulled a pair of black leather gloves and a pair of rubber ones from it. He slipped the leather ones on first before covering them with the thick rubber pair. 

Karkat jumped down and laid the first sheet on the ground near the pile. He carefully lifted the body on top before wrapping it fully with the sheet. He went back to the cart and grabbed a piece of rope from under the seat. He tied a slip knot on each end and made the loops large enough for him to pass through completely. He returned to the now wrapped body and looped on end over the shoulders, the other over the knees. Karkat lifted the wrapped corpse like an awkward piece of luggage and carried the body to the back of the cart, laying it carefully in the back and retrieving the rope. ‘One down, thirteen more.’ 

He repeated this process for each body, some of them easier to lift than others. He was carrying the final body in his arms. It was a young girl, probably around seven or eight years old. Her face was caked in dried blood and he wasn’t sure if it had been bashed in or she’d been struck by a vehicle or a bit of packing machinery. He looked up and saw a blond human watching him as he filled a large basket. He looked to be a male about his age and he had a curious black cloth tied about his eyes. He wondered if it was to protect them from the sun or if he was blind. He doubted the latter from the way he moved but he knew how some trolls could adapt. 

As he put the rope and the rubber gloves into a plastic bag, he’d have to wash blood off both, he thought he saw the human flip him off as he bent over. Karkat ignored it and tucked the gloves away; he’d need to keep his mouth covered as a few of the bodies had been laying there for days. They only ever asked him out there if the pile reached a certain height. He wasn’t concerned if the human had done it or not. He didn’t feel the need to stop out every sign of defiance and rebellion in people. ‘At least that one still has some life in him.’ The dead eyes scared him far more than the hate. 

He headed on down the path to make a full circuit of the complex, driving the cart behind the six huge buildings that housed far too many humans to be very comfortable. This place was run for efficiency though, not comfort. This was a place where they send the unskilled and those they wished to force labor upon. 

He put the horses into a trot once he was out of the gates. He had seen Eusuch dragging the water girl by the hair back towards the fields. He shook his head a little once he knew he was far enough to do so. ‘I knew it. I just hope I don’t see her again anytime soon.’

The load didn’t really put a lot of strain on the pair. The journey took ten minutes more because Karkat never wanted to risk a body falling off. He wanted to touch them as little as possible and at least give them some amount of dignity, even if he knew his own would probably be left to rot somewhere one day. He eventually arrived at his little home near the woods. He had electricity. He had running water throughout the house. He had all the common comforts the humans in the camp now lacked.

His front yard was kept neat and tidy. He'd placed the white stones of the walkway himself. He stopped the cart near the trio of stalls that made up his stable. He clicked his tongue at the pair after unhooking them. "Come on now, we're back again. Easy now, easy you two." He was always gentle with the animals. They had no idea what had happened to the planet and all they knew was what happened to them or so Karkat thought. He pulled his gloves back on with a second thick rubber pair and picked the rope up once more. 

He carried the bodies one at a time into a small building beside the one story brick house. He laid them out side by side on the floor. The building was a converted workshop and the overhead lights flickered a bit. There was a heavy concrete table in the center and an exhaust fan over it. 

'Last one for now,' he thought as he settled the small form of the child on the floor with the others. He was glad the floor was concrete, it made cleaning up easier. He walked over to the cabinet and pulled a jug of bright blue liquid. He also grabbed a hand broom and a large flower pot with bright yellow daisies on it. 

He lifted the body of the child onto the table first and carefully unwrapped her. "They shouldn't have them at the fucking labor camp. They never last long." He shook his head and placed the sheet on the floor. Her face was making his stomach turn. Her eyes stared lifelessly at him and her cheeks were covered in dried blood and dirt. She no longer had anything that resembled a nose. In its place were a few shreds of bloody flesh around a dirt packed hole. Her lower jaw hung a bit slack and was obviously broken. He walked out and into his home. In the kitchen he removed both layers of gloves and pulled a basin from under the sink. He filled it with water and dropped a rag into it. 

'Least I can do is wash her face.' He reentered the workroom and turned the fan on as he shut the door. He set the basin on the table and began to gently wash her off. As he worked he could feel himself become nauseous. 'Just a little more. Just a little more and then I can do it.'

He finally had the blood off. She still looked grotesque from the injury but her face was clear. He gently shut her eyes. He hadn't placed his gloves on again. He'd wash his hands thoroughly when he was finished. He paused for a moment and dried his hands off on the sheet on the floor before pulling a small note pad from his pocket. He moved her hair and located the set of letters and numbers, YT3494, burned onto her neck. 

Karkat left her for a moment to go ahead and document the other thirteen. They weren't just for his records; he had to send this information on so he'd get paid when it was checked against record. He soon reached the last one, 4570B2. He tucked the notepad and pen away again and uncapped the jug. He poured a cap full gently on her chest and pulled a box of matches from his pocket. He struck one and dropped it, drawing his hand away quickly. 

The body flared up in a brilliant blue light and the smell of burning flesh filled the room. Karkat coughed behind the cloth tied over his mouth and placed his hand on the table for support. Once he recovered himself he picked up the hand broom and swept her ashes into the pot. "Never gets any fucking easier, ugh..." 

He lifted and unwrapped the next body and repeated the action, cleaning the face of the corpse and shutting the eyes before burning the body. By the fifth one he felt like he might pass out, after the eighth he had to step outside and puke. He eventually was able to finish the job and sweep all the ashes carefully into the pot. He took the sheets into the house and into the laundry room and laid them in a designated basket. He left the pot of ashes on the concrete table for now. 

He felt the phone in his pocket vibrate and found Eusuch had sent him another message. ‘Better not be another fucking pile today. I wonder if he wants me to come back and get that girl…’ 

_Crabs,_

 _Come by tomorrow and pick up your shitty burning supplies when they come in. I don’t want them sitting around in the open again like the last time. And don’t forget that we’ll be paying you a nice comfy hive visit in a couple of months. Say hi to the gracious highblood for us when you next hear from him._

Karkat groaned. “Deliveries come between fucking six in the morning all the way to noon. Just because those bulgestains want to have me standing around and wait for it.” He pounded his fist against the wall before walking over to run the water until it turned hot in his sink. Once it heated up he fetched a metal wash tub from the laundry room and filled it. He retrieved the sheets and put them in with some bleach, well troll bleach. It was a foul smelling chemical that almost rivaled the smell of burning flesh, almost. He left them to soak and went into the bathroom adjacent his bedroom to shower.

The house was rather small, a single bedroom, two bathrooms, and a small living room that wasn’t closed off from the kitchen. He scrubbed himself roughly with a washcloth from head to toe, the cloth covering his mouth finally having been removed. Karkat walked out in his boxers and pulled on a fresh gray shirt and a pair of slightly frayed black jeans. He stepped outside and back into the workshop to retrieve the flower pot before stepping into his backyard. 

Karkat kept the front yard neat and tidy but it was nothing compared to the back. There were trees lining the back where the forest began but everything before them had been turned into flower beds, save a path straight to the center where he’d left it just grass. He often came out here to sit and reflect among the plants he cared for by hand. He didn’t know the names of them all but he knew some of them: rose, lilac, violet, daisy, and lily. He’d gotten the plants as part of his last trip into town. He had to go when there weren’t enough collectors for all the bodies. The town florist had been among them, he wasn’t needed anymore. 

“The fourteen of you don’t have to suffer anymore. I know it isn’t any consolation, but I never really know what else to say. I hope wherever you are, if there is anything fucking after this hell, you’re in a better place.” He dipped his hand into the pot once he was in the center and began to sprinkle it in the surrounding beds. He moved up and down the line, always careful to spread it and not just throw it. Every body burnt produced between three to five pounds of ash and he kept the pot steady in his arms has he moved to spread it. Once the job was done he sat down in the center and wiped his hands on the cool grass. 

‘They might be the lucky ones.’ 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Name guide:  
> Eusuch- "you such"  
> Auroch- "or rock"
> 
> Contest entry for the davekat fanfiction contest at http://ss-davekat.tumblr.com/.
> 
> I live near the  
> slaughterhouse  
> and am ill  
> with thriving.
> 
> \- Bukowski  
> Series this work belongs to:
> 
> Part 1 of the Conquestuck series


	2. Bend and Break

“SHIT.”

Karkat slammed his hand down on the alarm when he jerked awake. 4:30am. That would give him plenty of time to eat something before heading back to the farm to pick up the supplies. Very few places had transport pads and their use was restricted.    

He slipped out of bed and looked longingly at the slightly squishy sopor laced pillows. ‘It isn’t slime but it is comfortable enough.’ He let out a soft sigh, if he climbed into bed again he probably wouldn’t get back up and if he didn’t show up well that visit would happen even sooner. ‘Better just get this day over with.’ He stretched a bit and walked over his dresser to pull out a gray and black striped shirt and a pair of black jeans. 

He headed into the kitchen and opened his refrigerator. ‘No more oinkbeast skin, oh well.’ He grabbed a couple of eggs and a loaf of bread before opening a cabinet and pulling out a container. He set to working making oatmeal, scrambled eggs, and toast. He poured a cup of apple juice and sat to eat once he’d finished. ‘At least my cooking has gotten better.’

By 5:30 he was heading down the road back to the farm. He really hoped that Eusuch and Auroch would leave him alone. He urged the horses into a quick trot; he’d brought sandpaper to work on the seat while he wanted. ‘I would be lucky if it came in as soon as I arrive but that isn’t my fucking luck. My fucking luck is suddenly they decide they can do deliveries from six to six and I’m here all fucking day.’

By 5:51 he was climbing off the bench seat and knocking on the door of the guard shack. Auroch opened it and Karkat made a low bow to the much larger troll. “Morning Auroch sir, I’m here to wait for my deliveries.”

The only reply he received was a grunt and the broad shouldered blue blood walked by him to unlock the gate. Auroch’s horns were long and curved forward instead of to the side giving him the appearance of someone who could charge and gore you. “Go.” His voice was gruff and unused, a quiet commanding voice that shook the smaller troll to his very core. 

Karkat dashed over to the cart and headed through. ‘I wish the nookhuffer would talk more, even insult me or something. Every fucking word he’s ever said has scared the shit out of me. It is worse than Eusuch rambling on and on.’

Karkat headed out to the building in the center that housed the transporter pad as well as an automated store that worked with a second but far more limited pad. ‘Quiet as shit this morning, I wonder where Eusuch is.’ He knew there were at least two dozen trolls running the compound but he only ever saw the gate guards and only ever spoke with them. The Empress had deemed that while she was merciful in sparing his life his contact with other trolls was to be limited in order to prevent him from considering breeding. ‘As if I’d fall for any of these assholes. They spend all day tormenting the humans and probably get off on it too.’

He hitched the horses outside the building and went inside. It was rather small consisting of a couple of benches, a computer terminal hooked up to a transport pad and a second pad with normal controls for traveling. Both required an access code to use. Karkat didn’t have the code to use the delivery to travel, not that he knew any coordinates to use. Traveling across the planet would be fairly safe but leaving on the other hand always had a heavy risk, you were more likely to degrade.  

Karkat sat on one of the benches to wait, there was a window nearby and he could see humans being sent out to do different tasks in the fields. He spotted that blond with the blindfold again and watched him work. Today they had him tilling some land with a hoe. Karkat watched his careful movements as he drew back, brought it down, manipulated the earth, and then repeated it again. ‘I wonder how long that one has been here.’

He watched the male continue his work and even stood to stand in front of the window every now and then. He could see trolls in the distance both in the guard towers for that side and at different points in the field. He couldn’t really see them that well, they were too far off but he could see the blond and some of the other humans pretty well. He watched a few of the others but he always found himself going back to the oddity of the one wearing the blindfold. After an hour of looking out he sat on the bench to try and doze a bit. 

Four hours passed and the blond paused and stood up straight to wipe sweat from his brow with the back of his arm. He happened to look over at the building and looked around for watching guards before he flipped Karkat off once again. The troll had walked to the window once more to stretch and try and fend off the groggy feeling he'd gotten from trying to nap on the hard metal bench.

‘There goes the theory he can’t see… unless he really does have some kind of psychic power. I doubt it. I guess it might just be the sun or something. Oh fuck do I care? It isn’t like I could ask him or anything or that I need to know this.’ 

Karkat sat back down but soon jumped back up when suddenly the supplies appeared on the pad. ‘Shit right when I fucking sit again too.’ He walked over and started collecting boxes and walking out to load them into the cart. He could now not only see the blond but hear the rhythmic sound of the hoe breaking the ground.

He caught himself staring and headed back in to get another load. ‘Stop it Karkat. Stop watching that human. He’s strange yes but that doesn’t matter. Get this shit done and leave, you don’t like being here.’ He focused on getting the boxes into his cart and then walked over to the terminal connected to the store’s pad. He entered his code and began to look over their inventory and pick out the food and supplies he needed. Some things at home he’d looted from either abandoned homes or stores in the area but other things he purchased. ‘Better than letting it burn up when someone gets the urge to commit a little arson. Every time Eusuch and Auroch come to see me another home is burnt between there and here.’ 

Karkat finished making out his order and in about ten minutes it appeared on the pad with his receipt. He loaded the food quickly, intending to head home as soon as possible. 'Can't let this shit spoil.' He stepped out with the last bag and the blond walked right by as he was getting into the seat.

“Motherfucking cockroach son of a bitch.” He snarled under his breath as he passed Karkat. "Think they’re doing a favor getting rid of our dead but they just don’t want a fucking riot to deal with or shitty illness or something. Ugly ass fucker too." The blond headed into the next field and left Karkat staring after him.

‘Fuck he's got a mouth on him. I’ll probably be seeing him in the ditch soon if he doesn't watch it.’ Karkat shook his head and urged the horses on and out of the place. 'Hell I think he's got more to life to him than I do now.

***

Dave watched the troll ride off towards the entrance to the farm. ‘Nubby horned piece of shit, at least that one fucking leaves and doesn’t fuck around and make this work harder. He knows how to do a fucking job and just go on.’ He reached the next area and got to work tilling it.

‘Oh shit there’s slack jaw again I wonder what the fucker will say to me this time. I swear to god if he…’

“Afternoon there Goldie. Ready for you midday meal yet? You still have another hour to go.” Eusuch grinned at him with his rows of pointy teeth. 

‘Damn horns look like antenna, I wonder if they’d break if I slammed the fucker by them.’ He continued working, ignoring the troll.

“I said afternoon dipshit or are you deaf instead of half blind?” He reached for the covering over Dave’s eyes and was met with a grunt.

“Working sir.” He clenched the hoe tighter. ‘I wonder if it is worth trying to bash his head in. The handle would probably break on the first blow. Have to make this shit count.’

“Answer me a bit quicker next time or you’ll find yourself in the ditch waiting for crabs.” Eusuch chuckled with a slight whistling through his fangs and walked on, leaving Dave to his work.

‘Nonsense of an insane bastard, we’re nowhere near the fucking ocean.’ Dave struck the ground harder now, pretending every patch was the troll’s grinning face.

***

A week passed and each day was like the last for Dave, some hard labor and three meals that were barely enough to keep him in form. He was harvesting in the field near the corpse pile, he knew that small troll would be back to collect them soon, a couple of the bodies had been out there four days. He spotted Eusuch dragging a girl by the hair towards the pile, her body limp and her eyes lifeless. Her throat was slit and his blade was coated in blood.

The troll let out a whistling chuckle and dropped her on the pile. He was grinning at the dead face and he began to run the blade carefully all over her face. The blond had a flash of a memory for a moment, a similar troll running a blade over his brother's chest as he was held back. The difference was that Bro had been too injured to move, he'd still be alive for the mutilation. Dave lifted one of the heavy wicker baskets and ran with it. Dave didn’t even notice Auroch as he ran. He was too focused on what the other troll was doing to the corpse. 

Dave let out a wild yell and brought the basket down on Eusuch’s head. The troll let out a yelp as he was cut with the shattered edges of the basket and carrots rained down on him. Auroch pulled his hammer and lunged forward to strike Dave in the side of his head as Eusuch fell to his knees and shoved the basket off his shoulder. He was trying to recover from the sudden attack.

Dave fell lifelessly into the pile from the blow, his eyes still covered by the blindfold. Auroch watched the human for a moment or two while Eusuch stayed on the ground growling and whining about his injuries. He walked over and prodded Dave hard in the stomach but he didn't move. Auroch put his hammer back into his belt and yanked Eusuch up. 

"Let's go, the shit isn't ours to deal with now." Auroch started half dragging Eusuch back towards the guard shack. There were carrots strewn all over the ground and on the bodies. They could hear the sound of Karkat coming up the outer path as they went. The mutant blood pieced together the scene fairly quickly and frowned before touching his hand to Dave's throat.


	3. Nursing the Stray

Dave Strider rested his head against his brother’s arm as the pair of them sat on a rock in the center of a grassy field. He watched the wind whip the blades around.

“Dave.” His voice was even and his face neutral, his shades hiding any emotion. 

“Yeah Bro?” Dave glanced at his brother. His own expression was a copy of the other’s.

“No matter what happens I want you to promise me one thing.” The older blond looked up at the clear blue sky.

“What?” 

“Live.” Bro vanished and Dave found himself strapped to a table, his head trapped in a vice. He was surrounded by grotesque trolls of all kinds with huge horns and fangs. They were all cackling and drooling, one of them right down at him as he twisted the vice tighter and tighter.

“FUCK YOU, ALL OF YOU YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!” He shouted at the top of his lungs and he saw one of them begin to lean near. This one spoke softly but with a rough voice, a voice used to being loud.

“Wake up.”

Dave bolted upright but found himself shoved gently back down onto a pile of pillows. A quick look around revealed he was in some sort of attic. The space was small and the ceiling rather low. He touched his throbbing head and felt a bandage tied around it.

“Whoa, hey not so fast. You’ve had a concussion. Just lay still and relax.” The speaker touched an ice pack to where he’d been struck and Dave settled down enough to process who was nursing him.

“Get the fuck away from me you fucking troll.” He sat up again and went to try and stand and get away but Karkat pressed him down again. 

“Rest.” The troll’s voice was quiet but firm. “You need to take it easy.” He offered Dave a pain killer and a glass of water. The blond slapped his hand and the cup was plastic fortunately but the water ended up on the floor. ‘Fuck, this was a bad idea.’ Karkat laid a towel on the spill and poured another piece of a glass from a pitcher he’d brought up. 

Dave glared at him. “Go away.” His head was pounding and he was feeling sick. ‘I’m gonna puke on this bastard if he doesn’t st—’

His thought was cut short as Karkat pinned him down swiftly and put both the pill and a swallow of water in his own mouth. He bent down and forced both into Dave’s mouth, rubbing his throat and jaw until he swallowed, he’d kept his mouth pressed to the blond’s the whole time. He got up as soon as he’d gotten it into him.

“You son of bitch.” Dave lunged and punched Karkat in the face, a deep red bruise began to show and a trickle of bright red blood ran down his face. He noticed the other’s eyes for the first time in the semi darkness. They were bright red. ‘So the fuckers can have the same blood we do.’ His rage was at a boiling point and he drew back to give the troll another blow but Karkat struck him right in the gut knocking the wind out of him.

“For fuck’s sake lay your fucking ass down and be quiet.” He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and held it to his nose until the bleeding ceased. He watched Dave writhe a little on the pile. ‘Karkat Vantas you are the stupidest nooksucker that ever lived and this human is going to be the end of you.’ “Mind telling me your name when you get your air back?”

“Fuck you.” Dave hissed and laid still on the pile, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath.

“Fine E00707 it is.” Karkat’s eyes had fallen on the brand on Dave’s neck. “Now take it easy, you’ve been out for two days.” He filled the cup and left it beside him before taking the pitcher and the bottle of pain medicine and grabbed a handle mounted to the floor near the opening to lower himself down. He shut the trap door behind him and bolted the entrance shut. 

‘Gonna get that fucker later. He can’t expect to keep me up here for long.’ Dave felt his head growing heavy as the pain edged away. He gulped down the water and laid on the pile. Sleep soon overtook him.

The trap door was in the mutantblood’s laundry room directly over the wash and dryer which the troll had to climb on to get in there. Karkat exited the laundry room and sat on the couch. He jerked to attention when he saw Gamzee was online on Trollian. He immediately sent a request to video chat. He gave his nose one more wipe. ‘I’ll have to think of an excuse for the bruise.’ The window popped up and soon he was looking into the smiling greasepaint covered face of his moirail.

“What is up my brother? Wait, what you all up and done to your face motherfucking best friend?” The subjuggulator in training leaned forward to have a better look at Karkat, giving the smaller troll a close up of Gamzee’s unruly hair.

“Gamzee I’m fine, I’ve… I’ve adopted a stray earth purrbeast I found roaming the woods and he’s not enjoying that I’ve trapped him inside. I was chasing him around so that I could check him over for injuries and I ended up hurting myself.” 

“Brother you better watch yourself around those. You don’t want to blow your motherfucking top and hurt the little thing.” Gamzee gave him a big grin that Karkat returned with a small smile.

‘Please don’t make me lie any more. Please don’t ask me how I am Gamzee.’ Karkat leaned back on the couch and tried to relax, every lie he had to tell his moirail ate at him. They hadn’t been around each other physically in over a sweep and a half. Their contact was limited to the rare times Gamzee didn’t have to go through training and when Karkat was home and online to catch him.

“How are you palebro?” Gamzee moved his hand nearer the camera in what Karkat knew he probably thought was a virtual pap. Karkat returned the motion before he answered.

“Same as usual, no complaints about the assignment. I have a nice little home and plenty to eat.” 

“Got your lonely on though?” Gamzee was frowned at him softly and Karkat put his hand to his camera for another pap.

“I keep myself busy and distracted, and who knows maybe the purrbeast will help.” Karkat gave him a small smirk. ‘Or get me culled.’

“That’s the spirit my brother, keep your head up.” He gave Karkat another grin before there was a knock on his door. He formed his hands into a diamond and Karkat returned the gesture. “Got to go motherfucking best friend. You keep it chill man.”

“I’ll try Gamzee, good to hear from you. Oh my inspectors said hi.” The communication ended and the troll curled up on his couch, his insides twisted with guilt. ‘I hate lying to him, I hate lying to him, I hate lying to him.’

***

Dave opened his eyes when he heard the trapdoor open once more and a little light entered the attic. He didn’t try to get up or move just yet, his head felt heavy. The pain was beginning to return. ‘I wonder if the horned bastard is willing to give letting me take a pill another shot or if he’s going to just force it again. Disgusting bug scum.’ 

Karkat set a tray down before gripping the handle and pulling himself up. The troll slid the tray closer and Dave could see a bowl, some crackers, a fresh ice pack, a water bottle, and a dark green pill. “I see you’re awake, E00707.” He picked up the ice pack and held it to the blond’s head. 

Dave didn’t acknowledge he heard him and only laid still for now. The injury had left him feeling strangely and he didn’t think he could fight the troll properly. ‘I wonder why he hasn’t uncovered my eyes.’ It wasn’t like he needed it in the low light of the attic. He laid still and watched Karkat as he held the ice pack for a while before he spoke. “Why the fuck am I here?”

“Would you rather be with the other humans I come to get?” Karkat set the ice down, picking up the one that had melted and laying it on the tray before putting a bowl of beef broth in his lap. He dipped the spoon in and offered it to Dave.

Dave didn’t answer but opened his mouth to take the broth. Karkat’s face showed the faintest of smiles for a moment as he looked down to dip the spoon again but that changed in a flash when the blond spat the broth in his face.

“FUCK!” The mutantblood rubbed his sleeve on his face and eyes before he glared down at the smirking human. Karkat began to yell again but he trailed off with a growl. “YOU… fine.” He shoved the tray beside Dave with a soft clatter. “Feed yourself and take the fucking medicine. You’ll find an ablution cube behind you that you can secrete your waste in now that you’re conscious again. Then go the fuck to sleep.” Karkat let himself down the trapdoor and bolted it again. 

Dave rolled his eyes and took the pill first before rolling on his side and beginning to slowly eat. ‘I don’t know what that fucker wants with me but Dave Strider is no one’s fucking pet. Even the idea that he’s been touching me however long I’ve been here is just sick.’

When he finished he took a look at the cube behind him, it was a sturdy black cube with some kind of green slime in it. ‘Gross shit.’ He made a disgusted sound and shook his head. ‘Soon as I recover I’m getting the hell out of here.’ 

***

Karkat stared blankly at a human rom com on the TV screen. He couldn’t even recall the title yet it he’d picked it out only an hour ago. He sighed softly and poked at his food. ‘What am I doing? I could have just killed him and it would have been a hell of a lot less trouble for both of us.’ He grabbed the remote and turned the TV and the DVD player off before standing up.

The troll carried his plate into the kitchen and put it in the fridge, he didn’t even feel like he had the energy to wrap or cover it. ‘What the hell am I going to do with him when he’s well again? If he escapes and gets caught… fuck I already turned his number in, unless…’

Karkat ran to his bedroom and pulled a first aid kit from under his bed. ‘Why didn’t I think of this before?’ He drew a small jar from within and another bandage before heading for the laundry room and up the trap door. The blond looked up and nudged the tray the troll’s way with his foot, Karkat ignored it and pounced on him once more.

“WHAT IN THE EVER LOVING FUCK ARE YOU DOING YOU GODDAMNED FREAK?” Dave thrashed under him but Karkat pressed his arms down with his knees.

“Hold still, this is going to burn.” He unscrewed the lid and picked up the spoon from Dave’s dinner to scoop out a dab of the bright green slime. He knew sopor in the levels of potency they slept in or with only would heal so much, but what he planned to apply was near dangerous levels of potency. It was the only thing he knew might remove the brand.

“GET THE FUCK OFF ME!” Dave squirmed and bucked but nothing would dislodge the troll and he soon fell back on the pile panting and dizzy. His head was pounding again.

“Just relax.” He deposited the dollop on the blond’s serial number and felt him go into another fit of bucking as it hissed on his skin.

“MOTHERFUCKING TROLL WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? I’M GOING TO K—”

“Shoosh.” Karkat covered his mouth gently with one hand and stroked him face with the other. “Shoosh now. It will stop hurting in a moment. It doesn’t go after living tissue. It only eats through the dead.” He ran his hand through Dave’s unkempt hair soothingly as he continued to shoosh him.

‘What the fuck is he doing to me?’ Dave could feel the pain in his head subsiding and the burning stop. His anger was even ebbing away. He laid still and passive as Karkat bandaged his neck. The troll unwound the one on his head and looked at the bruise from the blow. It was nearly gone with the help of the sopor laced padding. He decided to let it be now, it would heal the rest of the way soon enough.

“Sleep now.” He gently ran his hand over Dave’s cheek just once. ‘Fuck it has been so long since I’ve quelled any anger or touched anyone like this, but shit this doesn’t feel like I’m cheating on Gamzee. It isn’t pale. Don’t start feeling pity for this human, Karkat. Whatever you do don’t fall in love with him.’

He removed his hand and stood. “You’ll understand if you take a moment to think.” Karkat took the tray and left, leaving the trapdoor open. The human didn’t even move. The troll came back moments later with a cloth, a towel, and a basin of water. He also set down a water bottle. “Just rest or bathe if you want and then rest. Good night.” 

Dave watched him leave and stared at the trap door for many minutes after.  


	4. Inspecting the Gardener

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reader please be advised this chapter contains non consensual sexual activity.

The pair of them fell into a routine. Karkat would bring him food and water with some medicine and some other little thing the human might need or swap out his water basin or his ablution cube. On days he had to go out to the farm Karkat would leave him two meals, one a hot breakfast and the other a sandwich or something that wouldn’t have to stay hot or cold. The troll would not only make sure the bolt was secure but he’d also add the security of a padlock. He knew once the blond had his strength back this would be all for not but it didn’t matter right now. That bridge could be crossed once they came to it.

After a week of captivity Dave began to move about the space he was confined to. The attic didn’t have quite enough room for him to stand without ducking but he had enough to move about. He still felt heavy headed if he pushed himself too hard but he moved about his space for ten to fifteen minutes at a time before resting. After three had passed Dave was moving about easily and checking out the boxes in the attic. It was mostly junk and Christmas decorations, the stuff you’d find in any attic but Dave came across an aluminum bat in a box full of old sports memorabilia. He hid it near his sleeping pile. Dave knew when Karkat had been to the farm for pick up, the troll smelt of faintly of burnt flesh and bleach. It pissed him off and he really got a whiff of it when Karkat came up with a box. Dave had been wearing the same thing for weeks and washing himself as needed in the basin. He also washed the underwear every couple of days, he hadn’t really given a fuck about the shirt or the pants. At least not until Karkat put the box down. He could see it was as assortment of fresh clothes of different sizes and styles.

“Get changed. Those are filthy as shit and you’re starting to smell.” The troll moved back towards the trap door. “I’ll probably just throw those out.”

Dave waited until he was gone before he moved to look in the box. ‘Wonder where the fucker got the clothes from.’ He reached in to move a few pieces aside. They seemed to be freshly laundered judging from the warmth they were radiating. He picked through it and looked at the contents just for something to do but he left them in there and didn’t change. He did however pull out the shades that were in the bottom and swapped them out with the blindfold. They weren’t very stylish ones but they would do in a pinch. The frames were large, round, and a bright red. ‘At least they aren’t heart shaped though Bro would probably claim it is irony at its finest.’ Thinking of Bro only darkened his mood and he tossed the box away, letting the contents scatter on the floor. He flopped on his cushion pile and turned his back to the trapdoor.

Karkat returned after about twenty minutes and glared at Dave. ‘What the fuck? I would think he’d want out of those shitty clothes. Those farm clothes are made out of the same shit they use for bags to transport pretty much everything. Itchy and tough as fuck.’ He came nearer to the blond but paused near. He was a little concerned now. Maybe Dave wasn’t regaining his strength or something and just wasn’t saying shit. “Hey, I told you to get changed.”

“Fuck you.” Dave flipped him off before crossing his arms. “Go away.”

Karkat grabbed a pair of blue jeans and a pink shirt from the floor and dropped them on the floor beside the blond before grabbing the hem of his shirt and pulling it up. Dave turned over and threw a punch, catching him in the cheek and the two began to go at it on the floor. They ended up a mess of limbs in the struggle. Karkat pinned Dave by his now exposed shoulders where he’d ended up ripping the shirt the blond was wearing. “PUT ON THE FUCKING CLOTHES.”

“YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE ME YOU HORNED PIECE OF SHIT.” Dave glared at him hatefully. The sunglasses had been knocked off. This allowed the troll’s red eyes to finally meet another pair

Karkat glared into those eyes and frowned. ‘This human is going to be the end of me. I’m acting like a fucking grub trying to keep a pet.’ He had been about to speak when his phone went off. He climbed quickly off of Dave and stood near the trapdoor as he looked at it. “Fuck.”

“What having to go do some more dirty work? You having to drag more of my people off like garbage? You make me--” Dave was cut off when Karkat was upon him again and slammed his head into the floor.

“SHUT THE FUCK UP AND LISTEN TO ME.” The troll was trembling and his eyes were wide. “My inspection got moved up. Eusuch and Auroch will be here in two hours. You have to stay quiet. If not for me do it for your own fucking skin. If they find you you will die.” Karkat got off of him. ‘Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. What am I going to do?’

“I might stay quiet.” Dave didn’t try to get up. The sudden blow still left him reeling but seeing a troll’s face crossed with fear brought him pleasure.

“Please.” His tone was pleading and soft. “I’ll bring you dinner when they leave.” He slipped down and brought up a couple of sandwiches and a bottle of water before looking at Dave one more time before leaving and bolting the exit shut.

Dave tore the shirt off the rest of the way and discarded the pants, slipping into the jeans and even the shirt the troll had been trying to get him into just to be that much more frustrating and difficult. He could hear Karkat running around below him. Dave walked around his space a bit and shifted the boxes some to see if he didn’t miss one. He spotted some light coming up from the floor and he dropped down to look in the crack. Looking through it he could see tile floor, counters, stove, it was obviously the kitchen. He could even see a small table and even the refrigerator depending on how he angled himself with it. He laid still and waited. ‘Might be able to put my ear to this and hear what they talk about.’

Karkat rushed around the house cleaning and preparing a meal for the other two trolls as well as Dave, slipping the human’s into the fridge for now. He left the stew and rice on the stove to stay warm and headed to answer the door. The mark on his cheek was absent now and he was grateful for it. He ran out of the kitchen when he heard banging on the door.

“Crabs how are you? Still living out here by your lonesome?” Eusuch gave him a hard pat on the head before he and Auroch stepped in.

“Make yourselves at home, my home is yours.” Karkat ignored the mud they were tracking in and went out to get their horses into his stable. The farm had a few vehicles but he knew they were only for emergency business and these two weren’t the heads of the compound. He also doubted they were allowed to drive or at least Eusuch anyway. Anything you could drive and crash easily he seemed to he an insatiable urge to use it to destroy things. Always bailing at the last moment or that’s what happened to one of the tractors anyway. He came back in and the two were checking out things in his living room. Auroch was looking over his movies and Eusuch was snickering at the bookshelf.

“Some reading you got here Crabs. That chow I smell?”

“Yes, sir.” Karkat kept his eyes low and his voice neutral. He ignored the floors. He could clean up again later. ‘I doubt this is all the mess I’ll have to get up. Eusuch enjoys breaking shit.’ Karkat winced when he heard the books topple off the shelf.

“Oops sorry Crabs.” The blueblood snickered and headed for the kitchen. Auroch was close behind. “Let’s have chow in here you have a beautiful kitchen.” Dave could see the other two trolls enter and he laid on the floor to be able to see them at the table. He kept silent and watched, imagining his hands around each of their throats in turn or the bat cracking a skull.

Karkat came back into view and grabbed two large bowls from the cabinets. He spooned out a generous portion of rice for both of them before ladling stew onto it.

“I hope your cooking is better now Crabs, these foreign dishes are still nothing compared to the chow back home. I’d kill for some fresh grub sauce.” He let out a hissing laugh and Karkat turned to approach the table with the bowls. Dave watched as Eusuch’s foot came out suddenly and the troll crashed to the floor. Auroch rolled his eyes but smirked a little as Karkat went to pick himself up; the floor was littered with food and the broken bowls. “Clumsy clumsy Crabs. Such a klutzy mutant. Don’t you think Auroch?” The other troll only nodded.

“I’m sorry. I’ll clean it up right away and fix you both another bowl.” He went to stand but Eusuch pressed his palm to Karkat’s head and the troll remained on the floor.

“No thanks, Crabs.” He walked over the stove and took a sniff. “Smells like hoofbeast shit anyway.” He knocked both pots on the floor and Karkat stayed on his knees, eyes to the floor and didn’t even try and wipe the mess from his shirt. “Up here man, come have a seat.”

“Yes sir.” He stood and sat at the table in the chair between the two.

“How’s the highblood doing Crabs, you two still pale pals?” Eusuch grinned at Karkat. “You know he’s the only thing keeping you alive right?”

Karkat was used to this. Eusuch though it was fun to take the piss out of him about he and Gamzee being moirails. He kept silent under the battery of insults to his own person but then a line was crossed.

“You know with him being so far away he’s gonna find a better one Crabs. He’s a highblood. He’s gonna get bored and cheat on you and then you’re joining the dead.” Eusuch chuckled and Karkat slammed his fist on the table.

“He isn’t going to do that. Gamzee cares about me. We have been best friends since we were kids and moirails for sweeps. He takes care of me and I take care of him no matter how far apart we--” Karkat found himself hitting the floor and let out a soft hiss as he was stomped on.

“I’d kill you now Crabs but I can’t. I’ve been ordered not to. You are still useful in keeping your clown pal in line and doing his training. Hell he might die before you do and then the end is the same. You shouldn’t have opened your mouth. We have to punish you now Crabs. You’ve brought it on yourself.” He dragged Karkat painfully up by his hair. “Don’t even think of asking for a transfer. We’ll make sure there is an accident with your transport vessel. You’ll never make it to your next place. Your moirail will be none the wiser.” He hissed into Karkat’s ear and ripped his shirt off, lifting Karkat’s ankles and holding his legs up to keep him in that area of the floor. “Give his mouth a try Auroch. Let’s give him a treat. Not like he’ll ever get any any other way.” The larger blueblood unzipped his pants and got on his knees on the floor. Dave kept his hand over his mouth to stifle his gasp as he saw the large blue tentacle and watched it slither partially into Karkat’s mouth as he hovered over the smaller troll. The troll let out a muffled cry but didn’t bite down as Auroch pressed his hands to the smaller troll’s shoulders. Eusuch slipped a foot out of one of his shoes and began rubbed it in between the trapped troll’s legs.

‘Fuck they’re…’ Dave wanted to turn away but he could help watching. He felt as trapped as the troll beneath him. ‘That thing is- that fucking is shit... that’s as long as my arm. What the fuck am I looking at?’

“Poor poor Crabs. Illegal to take a kismesis or a matesprit for you itn’t it? You should be thanking us. You might have never known this kind of thing. He’s got quite the bulge, don’t he Crabs? Thickest I’ve seen in a long time. A real treat. Keep your legs up now. I need to start doing something for me.” Karkat was shaking and his wide open eyes were streaming pinks tears as he sucked on the bulge in his mouth. The huge blue troll dick had coiled on itself and had filled his mouth up. He kept his legs up as high as he could as instructed. There was a pink stain in the crotch of his jeans from the friction Eusuch had been applying. The blueblood moved a chair and propped Karkat’s feet on it. “You keep those right there now or I can make this worse Crabs.” He unzipped his own pants and eased out a second dripping blue tentacle. This one was thinner but longer than his partner’s. He brought his socked foot between Karkat’s legs once more and rubbed harder than ever as he rubbed his own bulge.

Dave pressed his hand harder to his mouth. “Tentacles... their dicks are tentacles and what the hell is that slit under them? Oh fuck they are really doing this aren’t they? To one of their own? I’m going to be sick.” His heart was pounding in his chest and he was regretting finding the crack. He wanted to scream, he wanted to make them stop. He had a clear view of the fear and misery of the troll lying on the floor, his violated body betraying him.

Auroch let out a grunt and blue genetic material poured from him making Karkat sputter and choke. The bulge left the troll’s mouth and he threw up on himself and lay shaking in the mess as his crotch was continuing to be given achingly teasing friction. Friction he obviously didn’t want. Eusuch chuckled and smirked down at the prone troll.

“Crabs, look up at me now.” Karkat obeyed and was hit full in the eyes and face with a stream of blue. He sputtered again but stayed up on his arms and obedient. “Cumbucket.” The chair was yanked from under his legs after the troll had finished and Karkat curled up in a heap in the mess. “Clean this shit up and remember to come by in three days. We have some more work for you.” He bent down to give Karkat’s hair a playful ruffle and yanked him by one of his horns up for a look at him face to face. “Tell no one or we’ll make sure you or the highblood has a little accident Crabs. We know people too.” He dropped the troll and laughed, heading out of the home with Auroch.

Dave pressed a hand to his chest and took deep breaths to try and steady his heart rate. He could feel his pulse in his teeth. He watched as the troll beneath him slowly picked himself up. He stood shaking, looking at himself and all the mess around and on him. He whimpered softly once and went to move but slipped in the puddle of blue liquid mixed with food. Karkat let out a heart wrenching sound, a mix of a sob, a whimper, and some low chirping sounds. He crawled out of the mess and curled on the floor for a moment before standing and moving out of the room.

He came back into sight with a large wash tub of water and a mop and set to cleaning the kitchen. Dave felt a lump forming in his throat as he watched the dejected creature beneath him clean the own scene of his abuse while still covered in the evidence. It took Karkat almost an hour to get the kitchen tidy again and then he heard him in the living room cleaning. It sounded like a scrub brush on carpet. The troll was absent from his sight and hearing for an hour after the sounds in the other room ceased. He thought he had heard a bathtub being filled.

Dave was still numb from what he witnessed when Karkat came into sight again. He was dressed in fresh clothes and he pulled the food he’d set aside for Dave out and began to heat it up again. He watched the troll put it on a tray and he moved back to his pile when he heard the bolt get undo. He watched the troll pull himself up into the attic. He looked so frail compared to the two that had just used him. Karkat looked at him with the same expression he normally did.

“Thanks for keeping quiet. The visit didn’t take long. They got what they came for and left. I won’t have to have another for a while I don’t think.” The troll eased the tray over to him, staying on his knees and making sure it stayed level and the glass of milk didn’t spill.

Dave felt his stomach turn at the smell of the food. It didn’t smell like shit. It smelt pretty fucking good. The look in the troll’s eyes was pissing him off. How could he be so calm now? Had that happened to him before? Dave pushed it aside and came near Karkat suddenly making the troll wince and shut his eyes. Dave felt his rage burn hotter, but not towards this troll. No it was burning for those two that had down this to someone below them. Someone under their mercy. Someone that could have killed him and made one problem in his life just go away. He pulled the quivering form to him for a hug and felt tears welling in his eyes. “How can you be so fucking strong? How could you go through that and then have it in you to pretend everything is the same and bring an asshole like me dinner?”

Karkat let out a soft whine and began to shake harder. “You know?” His voice was barely a whisper and cracked a little.

“Fuck I know. I saw what those bastards just did to you. There’s a crack in between a couple of the boards. I fucking witnessed that shit. It isn’t fair.” Dave was shaking now as well and he pressed his face gently into the troll’s neck. He could feel the tears falling now. He was crying for this troll.

“Fairness is an illusion. Life never has and never will be fair.” Karkat felt his own eyes tearing up. He could feel the wet streams against his skin and the blond’s shaking. He let out another mournful cry and clung to Dave, sobbing softly. It didn’t help him when the human let out a similar noise and held him close.

They cried and held each other until they were both exhausted. The food was long forgotten. Dave heard the little troll he held against him begin snoring softly. It was very quiet and sounded almost like a cricket was chirping in his throat. Dave moved carefully not to disturb him any and pulled him on the pile with him. He gently climbed on top of him protectively, shielding him from the world with his body as he slept.


	5. Realization and Displacement

Karkat opened his eyes and groaned softly. ‘Thirsty, what’s on t—?’ The troll stared at the human laying over him. ‘He’s…’ Karkat frowned softly and ran a hand gently over Dave’s hair. The texture was different than his own, less dry and more smooth than soft. ‘He felt bad for me, he cried with me. What the fuck does this mean? Does this human give a shit about me now or what? He saw that. He saw them do that to me and now he’s being protective of me.’ He sighed softly and continued to pet Dave’s hair, it was soothing in a way. ‘I wonder how long this will last.’

Dave eventually stirred from the gentle stroking and jumped when he saw a pair of bright red eyes. He landed beside the troll with a soft thud. “Fuck… Don’t stare at me like that.”

“Sorry.” The troll averted his eyes and drew his knees to his chest. ‘Nothing’s changed. Are humans really fickle enough that he could forget last night so quickly, or is it just him? Or does shit like that not mean the same thing with humans? Or did he realize I’m tainted now?’ Karkat rested his chin on his legs and had no idea just how pitiful and dejected that made him look.

Dave felt a pang in his chest and crawled over to him. “No man, I’m sorry. You just scared the crap out of me. You can look if you want.” He touched the smaller male’s shoulder gently. He wasn’t sure about this physical contact or if he was doing right but it seemed to help the both of them last night. He tensed up a little when the troll’s arms went around him tightly and he buried his face into his chest. “You’ll be okay troll dude.” ‘I hope.’

“Karkat.” He looked up at the blond and hoped his face didn’t show how low he felt. ‘I shouldn’t let him do this. I’m going to get myself hurt. I was fine without him. I can be fine without him. I’m stronger than this, I am…’ 

“Karkat… you’ll be alright. That yesterday was bullshit. It was like the most bullshit bullshit I have ever seen. They achieved a level of bullshit the master bullshitters strive for and ultimately realize they should never claim. It makes them douchecanoes. “He gently let go of Karkat and ruffled his hair a little.”Hey, you didn’t eat last night did you?” The troll shook his head and Dave frowned and patted his back awkwardly before wrapping his arms around the smaller male. ‘You are supposed to hug people at times like this right? I really hope this isn’t making him uncomfortable because it seems like all I know how to do right now.’ “Come on, I’ll wash those dishes for you and make us both something. I’m feeling better thanks to you and I oughta repay you somehow.” He didn’t wait for an answer and retrieved the tray and headed down.

‘Repay me?’ Karkat sat on the attic floor for a moment. ‘Killing you would have been more merciful than having you alive here.’ He crawled towards the trapdoor and lowered himself carefully down into the laundry room. He could hear Dave in the kitchen but the troll was in no hurry. He didn’t have the energy right now to catch or fend off the blond if he wanted to escape or kill him. He wondered what the human would do now. He couldn’t intend to stay here, not with how he’d acted before.

Karkat entered the kitchen and saw Dave at the sink washing the dishes, the troll got halfway into the room before he felt his stomach lurch and he began to make a strangled sound. He stared at the floor and he began to shake. He staggered and shut his eyes to try and block out the images flooding his head. He covered his ears to try and rid himself of the strange high pitched sound that filled them. He felt a pair of arms wrap around him to keep him on his feet when he began to fall. He opened his mouth to try and take deep breaths to calm his pulse but he felt the sick feeling increase.

Dave tried not to swear when Karkat puked. It was far too red. ‘SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT. Is that blood?  Please fucking god don’t let that shit be blood.’ He leaned nearer the puddle for a moment. A quick sniff just told him that like all other troll fluids their stomach juices matched their blood. His own stomach turned a bit and he lifted the smaller male and tried not to think about how light he felt. He rubbed Karkat’s back gently and carried him quickly from the room, sitting with him on the couch and rocking him gently. “That’s okay dude. I’ll clean it up. You stay out of the kitchen alright? I’ll take care of the meals for right now. You just settle down now. Just breathe in and out, in and out Karkat. You’re gonna be okay.” 

Karkat curled into a tight ball on the couch and shook. His eyes we wide open again and tears were beginning to well in them. He let out a high pitched sound followed by a series of clicks and began to rock himself.

Dave ran and found the troll’s bedroom. He grabbed the comforter and a pillow off the bed and swaddled him before gently placing him back down, his head laid on the pillow. He knelt beside the troll to pet his cheeks and hair and wipe his tears away. “Please settle down. Come on you’ll be okay. They aren’t here. They’re gone. Nobody’s gonna hurt you right now.” Dave hadn’t felt this scared since he saw Bro killed and he felt like he was about to cry. He pulled the shades off and wiped his eyes on his sleeve before going back to trying to soothe the troll. He eventually pressed a tentative fingertip to a horn and just rubbed small circles on it as lightly as possible. The effect was almost instant. The troll’s whole body relaxed under the light stroking and his eyes began to shut. Dave kept touching the horns as lightly as possible, shifting down to rub the bases every now and then until Karkat fell asleep. He wiped the troll’s face gently with his shirt before wiping his own again. He pressed his face into the troll’s shoulder and just breathed deeply to try and ease himself. ‘I can’t hate this one. Not anymore.’  

***

While the troll slept Dave cleaned up the mess in the kitchen, mopping the floor with hot water and some of the bleach he found in the laundry room. He made himself a few eggs and ate them on toast before heating a can of soup and leaving it on the stove for now. He wasn’t going to dare wake the troll. He wasn’t exactly sure how to help him yet and sleep had to be a good thing. He stepped into the living room to check on him for a moment. Karkat was still in a deep peaceful sleep.

Dave made sure he was still tucked in properly before stepping out the backdoor and into the garden. He hadn’t been out in some time and he wanted a little sun by choice as opposed to being forced into it out each day. He stared at the flowers for a moment and walked very slowly and carefully down the grassy paths until he was in the center. He could still see remnants of ash here or there from the last spreading. He looked from the shed to the ash and flowers and back. He walked to the building now and stepped in. The smell of burnt flesh still lingered. ‘Ash… garden.’

He shut his eyes and thought of the troll on his knees in the garden weeding flowers he might not even know the names of. He thought of the troll carefully collecting the ash to spread among the flowers. ‘I never really thought too hard about what he was doing. I never asked him. I never cared. Shit he could have just burnt them and dumped the ashes in the trash, but this…’

Dave sat in the center for a while and watched the wind pass through the plants. He looked at the clothes he was wearing. The troll had washed them before putting them up there for him. He’d given him a variety. He’d even thought of sunglasses. This alien didn’t owe him shit. This alien didn’t have to save him. This alien was putting himself in jeopardy and why? False freedom wasn't really any better than the forced labor. There was nothing for him to fill guilty about. No this freedom in its own way this killed the spirit that much faster. Dave shook his head. He’d been hating and defying the wrong person. ‘Some house guest I turned out to be. Bro would have kicked my ass for doing that shit. He saved me and I owe him. I can’t leave until I’ve paid him back. If I ever can. How do you pay back someone you owe your life to?’   

***

Karkat stirred and rubbed his eyes a bit, his head was hurting horribly. He knew he was probably just dehydrated though he blamed the strain too. He opened his husktop and logged into Trollian. His eyes widened when he spotted Gamzee’s handle. He was only checking out of habit. He really wasn’t ready to face his moirail. It was too late though, Gamzee was already sending him a video chat request.

Karkat accepted it after sitting up and wrapping himself like he was ill and in truth he still felt like he was. “Hey Gamzee.” He made the diamond with his hands and forced a faint smile for a moment.

“Whoa motherfucking best friend you got your sick on? You don’t look so good Karbro.” He leaned closer to look at Karkat.

“Oh I just ate some shit that didn’t agree with me, don’t worry. I won’t be having that earth food for dinner again. I’ve been throwing up since last night. I’ll be okay I’ve got soup and I’ve been watching movies and napping all day.” He leaned back on his pillow. He could see how pale he was in the top right corner of the viewing window. He had to hope Gamzee would accept this excuse.

“You say that about a lot of the earth food though. I’ll see if I can get you something from home when I get back.” Gamzee frowned softly before smiling again. “How’s that earth purrbeast? He getting his chill on yet?”

“Purrbeast…? Oh yeah the earth purrbeast. He’s settled in now and doing fine. I’m glad to have him.” Karkat forced another smile at Gamzee’s grin. “Now what were you saying about getting back?”

“I guess I’ve been putting that shit off long enough Karbro. They got me put out on a training mission for about half a sweep. Communication blackout bro. I won’t get to talk to anyone outside the team. I won’t see you until I get back.” Gamzee leaned close and papped the camera before leaning in and rubbing his cheek on it a bit. “I’m gonna miss you motherfucking best friend but there’s no way out of it.”

“I understand.” Karkat gripped his hands tightly in his lap. ‘No, no Gamzee. You can’t leave me now. Please let this be a joke. Please not that long. Not with no contact at all. We were supposed to get a visit in four months.’ 

“I hate that we’ll up and miss our visit cause of this but when I get back I’ve been promised my own ship Karbro. I’ll come pick you up.” Gamzee gave him a big smile.

Karkat laughed, mostly to fight back his tears. “You better not crash it into my earth hive.”

Gamzee chuckled and they traded the diamond sign again. “I’m gonna miss you Karbro. I’m sorry you can’t come with.”

“That’s okay. I’d only get in the way. You’d listen to me more than your commanders. Stay safe Gamzee.” Karkat gave him a small wave that the indigoblood returned before the transmission ended.

Dave walked over and put his hand gently on the troll’s trembling shoulder. He’d stood in the kitchen and listened, waiting for Gamzee to leave before entering the room. “Your best friend?” The blond smirked softly. He could remember how he and John were.

Karkat’s eyes were full of tears and he turned to look at Dave. “Ye—.” The troll leapt up and Dave backed up a few steps. Karkat’s fists were balled and his fangs bared. “You think this shit is amusing? DO YOU? You think me going without my fucking moirail is just wonderful as shit.” Karkat was bearing down on him and Dave backed up with each step, being pressed nearer and nearer to the kitchen.

“Whoa, whoa where is this coming from? Easy now. I didn’t mean any—.”

“The fuck you didn’t. You make all nice with me because suddenly you see someone being treated shittier than you. I knew this was too good to be fucking true. Karkat fucking Vantas is only one big fucking joke to the whole goddamned universe and he hasn’t known how much his existence is despised.”

“Hey now, hey now. Stop. I wasn’t taking a shit on you. You aren’t thinking straight. Calm down for a second and listen to me.” They had entered the kitchen now and Dave was worried the troll was going to have yet another emotional 180 and become a sobbing mess again, not that he hadn’t already been threatening to. “You’re act—”

“STUPID? Is stupid what you are going to say? I never needed your fucking shit and I never needed you. I should have killed you like I was supposed to and then maybe the universe wouldn’t have seen fit to find new ways to bring its swift justice upon me. Karkat Vantas isn’t meant to have anything but the most soul crushing nookstain envying existence.” 

“Dude you are talking crazy now. Stop for a second and quit spouting nonsense.” Dave had his hands up but kept his palms open. He wasn’t sure what the troll was going to do. He found himself against the backdoor and Karkat punched the wall beside it.

“CRAZY? NONSENSE? TAKING YOU IN WAS FUCKING INSANE. I don’t even know why I fucking bothered. You don’t want to be here. Well here is your chance Dave human.” Karkat turned the knob and pushed the door open before shoving Dave outside. The blond ended up on his ass. “You have your fucking freedom. No need to thank me. Good luck out there. You no longer have to pretend to give a shit about your grubsitting scum of a keeper to find a chance to sneak off. Go. I regret ever fucking saving you. Now my moirail is gone and all this shit wouldn’t have happened if I had just bowed my fucking waste producing head and kept to how I’d been carrying on until I joined those before me. Go, I never want to see your fucking smirking pink monkey face again.”

“Whoa man wait. Let me just.” Dave watched from the ground with sunglasses askew and wide red eyes as the door was slammed in his face and the lock clicked.


	6. The Stray's Defiance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reader please be advised this chapter contains an attempted suicide and drugs.

Dave fixed the sunglasses and stood before beginning to knock on the door. "Yo, Karkat let me back in man. I didn't mean anything by it. I mean sure I hated your fucking guts before but that's over now. I know you aren't like the rest of them slimy assholes. Come on, I just want to talk. You can't handle this shit alone. I need to set a few things straight." The blond continued his insistent knocking until he heard the sound of the troll running towards the door.    
  
Karkat flung it open and brandished a broom. "GO THE FUCK AWAY YOU NOOKWHIFFING WASTE SPEWING PINK MONKEY PIECE OF HOOFBEAST SHIT! YOU HAVE YOUR FUCKING FREEDOM NOW GET OUT OF MY SEEDFLAP BEFORE I SPLIT OPEN YOUR PATHETIC CARCASS AND FEED YOU YOUR DISGUSTING SQUISHY INSIDES ONE GODAWFUL HORRIFIC MOUTHFUL AT A TIME." He took a few swings at the blond as he attempted to drive him off.    
  
Dave easily avoided these as he was driven backwards. 'He's showing life again at least, but fuck why does it have to be used to try and drive me?' He ducked another blow but stayed within range of the troll, waiting for an opening. 'Shit I can't just leave him. He might do something stupid.' The troll's attacks were frantic and without thought and Dave knew he'd be able to stop this onslaught if he waited for the right moment.    
  
"STOP DODGING AND JUST GO THE FUCK AWAY YOU DUMBASS PINK SKINNED WASTE OF SPACE. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY I SPARED YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE. YOU'VE BEEN NOTHING BUT A--" Karkat brought the broom down hard in an effort to put a stop to all this, but Dave managed to catch the end and yank the troll to him with it. Karkat's eyes widened at the sudden pull and he let the broom drop as soon as Dave's arms were tightly around him. His eyes were wide and his blood pusher racing.    
  
Dave had hugged Karkat around his arms, not so much intentionally to pin his limbs to his sides but just because he still wasn't really experienced in the whole comfort thing and he didn't think about things like arm placement. He just wanted to explain himself and stop this tirade. "Listen to me Karkat. I wasn't taking a piss on you. I wasn't happy your friend or whatever he is was having to cut off from you. I wasn't smiling about that at all. I wasn't happy you were upse--"   
  
Karkat rammed his head right into Dave's shoulder, butting him with his nubby horns and causing the blond to hit the ground. Karkat let out a click filled hiss and ran back into the house, slamming the door shut and locking it. 'Fuck him. Fuck that bulgesniffer.' He slid down it as he leaned against it until he sat on the floor. He hugged his knees and rocked himself trying to fight back tears that were threatening to fall. 'I don't need him, I don't need Gamzee. I've been doing shit on my own. I can keep doing shit on my own. I'm stronger than this. I am. I'm not a wiggler anymore. I'm not.'   
  
Dave stayed on the ground and held his shoulder. "Shit that fucking hurt." He laid there breathing deeply in and out until the pain eventually subsided. He sat up and pulled off his shirt to check the damage, he noted the soreness when he moved that arm, and there was no lasting damage. He just had a little bruising. He jumped when he heard the sudden crash from inside the house. It sounded like something metallic hitting a wall. 'What the hell am I going to do about this troll?'   
  
Karkat had thrown the pot from the stove. It lid had somehow miraculously stayed on long enough for it to land in the garbage can. The troll had stormed out of the kitchen and into his bathroom where he glared at himself in the mirror. "YOU... YOU PIECE OF... FUCK. FUCK." He dropped down to his knees feeling drained and empty. "I DON'T EVEN FEEL LIKE SCREAMING AT MYSELF ANYMORE. I CAN'T EVEN SUMMON THE STRENGTH TO HATE THE FOULEST CREATURE IN EXISTENCE ANYMORE." He slammed his fist into the wall and the mirror opened to reveal the medicine cabinet. He stared at the rows of human drugs that had been there who knew how long. He stood and began reading the labels as he wiped the stubborn tears away with his sleeve. They just wouldn't stop coming.   
  
***   
Dave waited until it was dark to begin checking the doors and windows. The front door was locked and he had no reason to check the back, he'd heard the click himself. He slipped over to the bedroom window and looked in through a crack where the curtains met. He saw the troll curled up on the bed, fully hidden by the comforter he'd pulled over himself. Dave touched the glass, considering trying it but deciding against it. 'If he's sleeping I don't want to wake him up.' Dave tried the two kitchen windows but found them both locked. The very last window, one of the living room ones, was unlocked. Dave slid it up as gently as he could before slipping in and shutting it. He locked the window behind him.    
  
Dave crept quietly about the house as he made himself a sandwich before walking over to the small end table beside the front door. He slid the drawer open as quietly as he could and smirked when he found what he was looking for under some odds and ends. 'Keys. Extra fucking keys. Score.' The ring had a car key on it as well as keys to both the front and back doors and a few that he wasn't sure what they went to. Karkat's own keys were on a hook on the coat rack to the left of the door. Dave pocketed the ones he'd found before slipping into the laundry room and heading back up into the attic. He moved a box over the entrance before he settled onto the pile and went to sleep.   
  
The next day passed without event. Dave stayed quiet and listened out for trouble from the attic. He laid near the crack in the floor and looked at old comics as he listened out for the troll. Dave took note of the troll not eating. He waited until late night to sneak food for his own. He did seem to go outside and tend the horses still, though what else he did Dave wasn't sure. The house was eerily quiet.     
  
***   
  
“Hey there, Crabs. Sorry to hear about the Highblood.” Eusuch was smiling at Karkat when he opened the door to the guard shack.   
  
Karkat had been staring at his shoes but he looked up at the blueblood with a mixture of hatred and fear in his eyes. “You know about that?” He tried not to wince when his voice cracked.   
  
The troll smiled at him, showing his long rows of pointed teeth. “Sure we do. You know the two of us are responsible for you. Supposed to watch over you and look after you and all. We are just doing what’s best for you while he can’t.” He brought his hand down on Karkat’s hair and gripped it, lifting the shorter troll’s face. Eusuch bent down and looked into the red eyes. “You know that, right Crabs?”    
  
Karkat felt his pulse quicken and the ringing in his head begin. Every fiber of him wanted to lash out at this blueblood. He wanted this to stop, but he held back. “Yes, sir.” He barely raised his voice above a whisper. He tensed when the Eusuch took both his cheeks in his hands and held his face almost tenderly. Karkat’s eyes widened in fear and he felt all the fight leave him. He shut his eyes and began to shake when the troll’s lips drew near his own.   
  
Eusuch shoved him to the ground and laughed raucously as he opened the gate for Karkat. “You don’t know how to take a joke, Crabs. You look like you're gonna cry.” He walked over to the mutantblood as he was beginning to pick himself up from the dirt. Eusuch put his foot on Karkat’s shoulder and pinned him back down. “I can’t wait for your next home visit, Crabs. I’ve got plans for you. Two months. Two months and then you’ll be seeing us again. Higher ups are pleased that you’re behaving so well. We gave you a shining report.” He laughed again as he removed his foot. He went to give him a kick as he got up but he heard Auroch clear his throat. The larger blueblood was in the doorway.   
  
“Let him get the waste off the field Eusuch. You keep playing with him and he won’t be able to carry out his job.” The larger troll roughly pulled up Karkat and carried him over his shoulder to the cart and dropping him in the seat. “Off with you.”   
  
“Why’d you have to go and ru—” Eusuch stopped when Auroch looked at him and he followed the larger blueblood back into the guard house after giving Karkat a small wave.   
  
Karkat urged the horses into the compound as he tried to settle himself once more. ‘Take the bodies and go. You can do this Karkat. Just take the fucking bodies and leave. They’re done with you.’ Karkat reached the fields and made it to the corpses before he threw up. It wasn’t anything but some water and a bit of his stomach juices but the pale pink liquid burned horribly as it came up. He sat on the ground with his head between his knees until the ringing died down.   
  
Karkat didn’t do through the usual routine this time. He simply laid out a few sheets to line the bottom of the cart and began to lift the corpses with his bare hands. ‘I’m sorry. I have to get out of here. I’m sorry.’ He piled the seven carefully and covered them. This time it was just some of the elderly, five women and two men. He climbed into the back with a few sheets and covered the bodies, tucking in the sides. He dropped down and stared out over the fields at the living still working in them. He let out a sigh before climbing onto the cart once more and urging the beasts towards home. He left without incident.    
  
Dave had watched the troll prepare to leave that morning and then spent a few hours cleaning up the house and himself. He’d mopped, vacuumed, and swept the floors as well as retrieved the pot from the garbage and done the dishes. He didn’t do the best job, but things were looking better and he had only broken one glass. He made himself a couple of sandwiches and hid in the trees near the shed to wait on the troll. ‘Might as well see how he’s been doing this shit.’   
  
Karkat returned a few hours after Dave stationed himself. The troll went inside and washed his face and hands before pulling on gloves to begin the burning process. The blond watched from his hiding place as Karkat carefully lifted each onto the table, wrote down their number, applied the chemical, lit it, and then carefully swept the ashes into a pot. He repeated it until all seven were finished. The smell was sickening and the troll was looking pale.    
  
Dave didn’t move from the spot and simply covered him mouth and nose with his shirt. He watch the troll go into the house again and come back out half an hour later in fresh clothes, his hair wet. He picked the pot up and walked towards the center of the flowers. Dave moved to hide behind the shed now and watch him closer.    
Karkat frowned softly. “I’m sorry. I know it changes nothing and I know I had nothing to do with what happened to any of you… but I’m sorry. Sure it might just seem like a cheap ass way to ease my own fucking guilt but I can’t do anything else. I’m one troll. One fucking useless waste chute product of a troll. No one can hurt you anymore, or I hope no one can. Shit for all I know the afterlife is worse if there even is one. Enough of that. I’m sorry this isn’t better. I’ve lost count of how many of these pathetic speeches I’ve given and shit I’m not even sure you can hear me even if there is an afterlife. Maybe these words are for me more than you, but right now I don’t have them.” He sighed softly. “And I’m sorry.”    
  
Dave gripped the corner of the building tightly as he watched the exhausted looking troll spread the ashes. ‘Bro give me the strength and the patience to help this fucker. He might not want it, but I’m gonna give it to him. I will convince him he’s not the worthless one in all this even if it kills me. He gave me my life back… I have to find a way to give him his.’   
  
Karkat wiped his hands gently in the grass after he finished and then proceeded to water the plants. He set the pot by the house and walked over toward the stables, unfastening the stall doors but not opening them. “Thank you.” He patted each animal in turn before heading into the house.   
  
Dave has carefully followed and watched him. He slipped over to secure the doors once more and then headed for the back door. He peered in through the kitchen window and watched the troll fry some bacon and make a few sandwiches with it. He slipped as quietly as he could once Karkat had settled into the living room. He watched, hidden behind the doorway, as he sat on the couch watching a troll movie on his husktop and crying the whole time.    
  
When it was finished Karkat stared at his chumroll for a while, a list of grayed out names. Dave only slipped away once to take a much needed piss before going back to his post. He hid under the table when Karkat shut the husktop and headed down the hall, towards his bedroom. The blond silently followed, surprised that the troll didn’t shut the door. He watched him change into some comfortable looking red flannel pajamas. He spotted a glass of dark liquid on the nightstand. He wished now he hadn’t skipped the troll’s bedroom. The nervous tidying he’d hoped would have been noticed but Karkat hardly seemed to be looking at anything other than what he was doing.   
  
Karkat sat on the bed, his legs now under the covers and stared at the far wall for a bit before reaching into the nightstand. Dave heard him pick up something that rattled a little and he craned his neck to try and see what Karkat was doing. It sounded like some kind of foil wrapping was being torn or popped and the sound was repeated seventeen times. The blond stayed near the door and watched the troll stare at his lap for what seemed like forever before the troll began to laugh, tears rolling down his cheeks.   
  
‘What the fuck…?’ Dave could feel his heart begin to pound at the sound. It was an unnatural laugh. It was a pained one. The troll sounded like he’d lost it and Dave decided he must have. He watched the troll pick up the glass in one hand and scoop something off the bed with the other. It was only then that he spotted the handful of pink and white capsules.    
  
Karkat dropped the pills into his mouth and began to chug down the liquid in the glass. It was whiskey. He cursed the human Jack Daniels as his throat burned and he began to couch and sputter. He tried hard to not let the horrid sensations in his mouth, throat, and stomach sicken him. He went to lie down and let the pills do their job when he heard a shout and spotted Dave. He didn’t have time to fight back when the blond pulled him up out of bed and dragged him to the bathroom.   
  
Dave kicked the door open and flipped the light on before pulling Karkat to the sink. The troll was too weak from the past few days to struggle against the adrenaline rush Dave was experiencing. The blond pulled him into a headlock and forced his jaw open. Karkat tried to bite down on the invading fingers but Dave’s other hand was hooked under his upper jaw and keeping it open. He managed to dig his teeth in a little but the blood and Dave touching the back of his throat caused him to begin to heave. The human forced him to puke until he’d counted out the seventeen sleeping pills in the sink. The mixture of the alcohol and the Sinequan would have more than likely killed him whether they were old or not.   
  
Karkat collapsed coughing after and trembled on the floor, watching in horror as Dave flushed those as well as every other pill in the cabinet down the toilet before standing over him and slapping him. He looked angrily up at the blond. “WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?” He showed the blond his fangs and let out an angry hiss and a series of clicks.   
  
Dave yanked him up and glared at him. “I COULD ASK YOU THE FUCKING SAME THING. WHAT THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING? THAT WOULD HAVE KILLED YOU!”   
  
“I DON’T CARE. I don’t fucking care. That was the point you blithering pile of woofbeast droppings. I want to die…” Karkat coughed again, yelling hadn’t been good for a throat burning from alcohol and then the alcohol coming back up. “I’m tired of living this shitty excuse for a life and the universe isn’t finishing this punishment for my unwanted existence fast enough. I’m jus—”    
  
Dave struck him again to make him stop. “SHUT UP. Just shut up.” Dave heard his own voice crack and he half carried half dragged the troll kicking and clawing back to his bedroom and put Karkat on his bed before sitting on the troll’s waist. Dave pulled his shades off and stared down at the panting troll. “I’m sorry I hit you.”   
Karkat sat up and wrapped his hands around Dave’s throat. Dave punched him in the stomach and wrestled with his arms until he was pinning them with his own. The troll kicked his legs for a bit before he settled down again. “Kill me. Kill me fucker. Why won’t you fucking let me die? Do you want me to suffer? Are you the universe’s way to keep me suffering? Are you the vengeful demon sent to keep me here until there is nothing left? Are you s—”   
  
Dave pressed his lips to Karkat’s to silence him. The inside of the troll’s mouth tasted nasty though it was no surprise. Puke, Bacon, and Jack Daniels wasn’t the best combination. He wasn’t even sure why he thought that was the best way to stop him but it worked. “Stop screaming about the universe being out to fuck you over. Karkat this isn’t the universe punishing you. This is other shithead trolls being bastards to you. None of this is your fucking fault.”   
  
Karkat glared at him. “Why the fuck did you even do that? You don’t give a shit. There isn’t anyone that going to mo—” Dave cut him off again and Karkat bit his lip, regretting it the moment he tasted blood. The blond pulled away when the troll’s teeth cut his lip open.   
  
“I don’t know why the fuck I keep wanting to mack on you but I just know you’re fucking wrong about no one missing you. Shit… I’d miss you. You saved me, you took care of me even when I acted like an asshole, and you go above and beyond your job and get nothing but crap from everyone around you. How you’ve gone this long without doing that already… fuck Karkat you’re a lot better than the rest of them and probably stronger than me. Don’t let them win. You really want your best friend to find out you ended yourself?”   
  
“He’s… He won’t… fuck… no. I don’t fucking want them to win and I don’t want Gamzee to know I’ve been... Shit why do you have to be right?” Karkat laid back on the pillows and frowned, tears gently and silently falling. He wanted to both kill the human on top of him and let him comfort him, but he knew he couldn’t do both. “Fine you bastard, I won’t try again.” He punched Dave lightly in the chest, his head feeling a bit fuzzy from all the strain and excitement.   
  
“Every dumbass has to be right once in a while.” He laid gently over Karkat and held his hands now instead of pinning them, Karkat gently gripping them in return. Dave laid his head against the troll’s shoulder and silently crying with the troll now that the strain was off. “You’ve got me.”   
  
“I better have you. I’m holding you accountable for these shitty feelings I’m having. You better take responsibility. And I’m kicking your ass later for all this disgusting kissing.” Karkat huffed softly. ‘Fucking stupid human is going to get us both culled in a horrible way. Damn it, why are his lips so soft?’   
  
“Don’t worry. I’m here for you Mr. Grumpy Pants. I won’t be a lazy bum house guest this time. I’ll take care of you now.” Dave shifted to press Karkat’s face to his chest and the troll didn’t resist other than to growl softly for a bit. ‘You might be all I have to care about now.’


	7. Reunions

Over the next three days a storm moved in and the two remained in the house most of the time but Dave would head out with an old umbrella and tend to the horses. He'd asked the troll to stay in bed and Karkat begrudgingly agreed as long as Dave did the chores that had to be done. The feeding and watering was easy enough but exercising the animals and mucking out the stalls were trials of frustration for Dave, especially the first time. He'd never ridden in his life and he knew nothing before about cleaning out a stall. Karkat gave very detailed instructions about how waste was to be removed and what condition bedding could be left or needed be removed and changed.  
  
Dave had taken to sleeping on the couch and would give the troll his space other than bringing him his meals, asking him about something that needed to be done, or  just checking up on him. The blond had found more clothes that were near his size after checking through some more of the boxes. The pants were long enough and a near fit but some the shirts were very loose on him.  
  
Karkat emerged from the room on the fourth day, it was still cloudy and threatening rain but the wind has died down. The troll spotted Dave on the couch watching one of the many earth movies he had laying around. "Hey, is it alright if I fucking come out of my goddamned bedroom now? When the hell did you become the one in charge anyway?" The troll sat down beside him and the other male ruffled his hair playfully.  
  
"Oh, I don't know, maybe when you decided to down that glass of Jack. I have to say I'm impressed. That had to burn Karkat." Dave smirked softly at him making the troll cross his arms and let out a huff.  
  
"I admit it was some dumb shit and I almost didn't need you to cram your disgusting fingers in my mouth. Not to mention your shitting silencing methods. Do all humans shut each other up like that?" Karkat ran a hand through his hair to try and fix the damage Dave had done, which wasn't any considering he'd still had bedhead. 'You have to regain control of your household Karkat, you can't let this pink monkey boss you around. You saved his ass first. Just because he stopped you from making the shittiest mistake of your life doesn't mean he deserves his praises to be sung from the heavens.'  
  
"Nah I just didn't feel like slapping the taste out of your mouth again but I should have. The shit was offensive to six different laws of nature. Cured me of being an alcoholic before I'd ever tasted a drop first hand. Damn secondhand troll vomit cocktail just removed all desire to try the real thing." Dave kept his eyes on the TV but the strange brightly colored troll laptop kept drawing his eyes.  
  
"You want to use my husktop, don't you?" Karkat looked at Dave for a moment before opening it and getting it to the desktop. He logged onto trollian but only out of habit. Most of the names in the list had been grayed out for sweeps. "Go ahead. I can even try to help you look up people, if you want to know." Karkat touched Dave's shoulder for just a moment and the blond nodded before opening the browser.  
  
Dave located a download for pesterchum that still worked, he wasn't really surprised any of this was still around. He knew the trolls still used some of the infrastructure. Not to mention he'd found netflix still worked, albeit there were now troll movies on it too and goddamn were the titles long. He installed the program and very slowly typed out his handle. He frowned softly when he saw his chumroll, it was as gray as Karkat's. "How can we find people?"  
  
Karkat frowned softly, the blond was looking a bit green and he knew this would only get worse before it became easier. He pulled the husktop into his lap and clicked on one of the icons on his desktop. The window was covered in Alternian text and had what looked like a search bar on it. "If they were ever taken in they were registered. I can't promise we'll find them and they could have managed to hide. They still find pockets here and there sometimes." The troll winced. 'Okay that was a shitty thing to say good job they might be alive but we find rebels and free humans still so they are still in danger. Perfect.'  
  
"So I just give you their names?" Dave swallowed softly and stared at the blinking cursor. 'Do I even want to know? Is seeing they are dead any better than assuming? Shit fuck this I gotta know.'  
  
"Yes. Just give me their names." Karkat rested his fingers on the keys and took deep breaths. He didn't know the people he was about to look up but he knew the pain of not knowing where friends were. He couldn't count them on one hand anymore.  
  
"Rose Lalonde." Dave bit his lip softly and watched as the troll typed the name out and hit enter. Nine results popped up and only four had pictures. He spotted her immediately. Rose was giving the camera a serene smile but her eyes seemed to want to burn a hole in the lens. "That one." He pointed to the picture.  
  
Karkat clicked it. "She's alive and working in a facility in the 3rd province." The troll pulled up another window and brought up a map, pointing to an area Dave recognized as the northeastern United States. The troll map had different districts drawn up. "It doesn't say which one but she's manufacturing clothes."  
  
'At least she's alive.' Dave looked the map over. "Where the fuck are we?" He remembered traveling far with Bro but they'd gone all over and stuck to back roads as much as possible until the truck died.  
  
"Province 6, around here." Karkat pointed to what Dave guessed was Ohio judging from where the Great Lakes were. "What's your last name? I want to see if they've updated yours yet. That should tell us how accurate this might be."  
  
"Strider, Dave Strider. Save that picture first if you can, please..." The troll saved it to his desktop and Dave watched as a single result came back for his name with a word underneath his picture in bright red. He had a black eye and was flipping off the camera in the picture. He remembered it being taken, right before they put his number on him. He'd been beaten for his insolence.  
  
"Good they've got you down as deceased. This is probably accurate." Karkat looked to him for the next name.  
  
"Jade Harley." Dave watched the single result pop up. It wasn't her. He wondered if they had just bombed the island or something. He knew the major cities had been brutally attacked. Bro had gotten them out of Houston before it was attacked. "Not her. This is the last one, I'm not going to try their parents... I never knew their fucking names." He let out a dry laugh that made Karkat touch his arm before putting his hands over the keys once more. "John Egbert."  
  
Karkat hit enter and had to scroll, there were eighty-nine John Egberts. "Tell me if you see him." The troll kept going and even had to make a second pass before Dave spotted him. John was wearing a dark green suit and a thin gold collar about his neck, the word under him was in a bright green.  
  
"What's that say?" Dave felt tears forming in his eyes as he stared at the goofy grin John was giving the camera. Even in that picture he was keeping heart.  
  
"Stolen." Karkat opened the profile. "Subject and his male guardian James Egbert were first put into service in the 9th province in a labor camp but both were discovered to have talents more useful in other fields. John Egbert was to be shipped to one of the flag ships along with his male guardian to serve as a pet. Subject has a prowess for piano playing and entertainment. Subject has been marked to be used as a pet but in transit the freighter was attacked by pirates and the cargo was stolen. Which group is responsible is still unknown but the three largest are under the most suspicion. Location and status unknown."  
  
Dave swore softly under his breath and stared at the floor. "Pirates? John's been taken by pirates? What kind of shitty...?" The blond stood to pace but Karkat pulled him back down and into a hug, the troll pressing into his hip.  
  
"Easy, let me show you something" He reached over and pulled the trollian window up. There were eleven grayed out trolltags and pointed at each as he spoke. "Tavros, dead or being mistreated and used for his power over creatures. Aradia, rumored dead. Vriska, probably playing pirate with the other Serket. Nepeta, with her moirail but no one has seen either of them ever since he saved her. Eridan, might be killed by the other damn Ampora for all I know. Equius, Nepeta’s moirail. Feferi, heiress to the goddamned throne and either dead or on the run. Terezi, training to be a legislacerator last I heard but haven't seen her online in sweeps. Kanaya, enslaved like all the other jadebloods and I hope like hell she's alright she was always more than decent to me. Gamzee, my moirail shipped off to some shitty ass planet to learn to be a better killer clown. Sollux, dead or some ship's battery navigator thing... Fuck I hope he's dead and not plugged up into some battleship somewhere.”  
  
"Plugged up?" Dave read over the trolltags. 'Shit that's a lot of dead friends.'  
  
"You don't want to know. Let's just say some of us have special powers and are put to use. There are trolls that aren’t even treated like we are intelligent beings capable of thought and feelings... We are nothing more than property, tools, and weapons. We are made to be used and thrown away when we are broken or unneeded. Sometimes we are even denied natural functions or broken physically, mentally, emotionally...” The troll frowned and lost himself in thought for a moment. “Shit enough about that, I'll make us some lunch." Karkat let go of him and headed for the kitchen.  
  
This left Dave to look at the two pictures the troll had saved for him on the desktop. He put pressure on the corners of his eyes with his thumb and index finger. He kept them shut and tried to stem the flow of tears that had begun.        
  
***  
  
The troll came back with sandwiches and the pair ate in silence. Dave had managed to calm down before Karkat returned but his mouth was turned down slightly and his sleeve had dark wet spots, the shades only barely hid his now puffy eyes. The pair finished and washed their hands before sitting back on the couch once more.  
  
Dave eventually seemed to tire of staring at the screen and went to stand in front of one of the windows. 'This is stupid. I assumed they were dead before, why does this shit change anything? I should be happy Rose is alive. Enslaved but alive. John got to have a fucking adventure. Sounds like his dad was gonna give them hell if they got separated. Jade is the only one that I don't know.' He stared out at the wet grass and the dripping trees.  
  
Karkat stood and began to approach him. 'He's too fucking quiet now. I have to do something...' Karkat tackled him carefully to the floor and straddled his hips. He turned Dave's face to the side to press into the carpet and pinned one of his shoulders with the other. "I told you I was going to kick your ass for putting your bulgesucking mouth on mine, Strider. Now fucking apologize before I make you eat this carpet." He pressed the blond's head down harder.  
  
Dave couldn't help at laughing a little at the absurdity and it was kind of nice that the troll decided to distract him. ‘This halfassed revenge attempt is a shitty cover up, but I might as well play along with Operation Cheer Up Strider.' He smirked up at the troll. "You really need to watch what you say dude. Not that this stuff isn't gold but someone might get the wrong idea." Dave slipped his hands into the hollows under Karkat's arms and kneaded his fingers gently into the troll's flesh. "I'm not eating any carpet today."  
  
Karkat bit his lip hard and tried to lean away from the teasing fingers as they prodded, poked, and scritched under his arms. After a moment let out a soft squeak before falling off of Dave and rolling away to curl up on the floor. Dave's smirk grew and he pursued. He slipped his hands under the troll's shirt to tease his sides. He didn't try to trap or pin him down but did move his hands as the troll tried and failed to defend all points of attack as he now laughed, giggled, and squeaked under the assault.  
  
"STOP IT HEHE... STOP IT YOU BLITHERING FECULENT SHIT HOLE. YOU REGURGITATED WOOFBEAST CARRION PICKINGS..." The troll's face was turning a soft pink and he was beginning to try and grab Dave's wrists to stop him.  
  
'Squeaks, giggles, and cusses. This troll is the most precious little asshole ever conceived.' The blond slowly ceased the playful tickling.  "You're the boss." Dave scooped the still giggly troll up and stood before carrying him back to the couch. He set Karkat beside him before pulling him into a loose hug and burying his face into his shoulder. "Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome. Don't make a habit of that shit asshole or I'll figure out how to make you squeak." Karkat didn't wrap his arms around Dave but he didn't move either. "Thanks for stopping when I asked."  
  
Dave smirked and kissed his cheek playfully. "Anything for you princess." Karkat opened his mouth to retort but stopped when he heard the sound announcing Dave was being pestered. They both stared at the window that popped up.  
  
"Jade..." Dave hurried over and looked at the keys, fuck he hoped they were the same. He got lucky though, Jade was sending him a request for voice chat. He moved the cursor and accepted.  
  
"Dave!?! Dave is that you? Please tell me it is you. I'll just go barking mad if this some weird glitch!" Jade whined, he voice cheery and hopeful.  
  
"You got the one and only Dave Strider, Miss Harley. How can I be of service?" Dave was grinning a bit, his heart pounding in his chest. Karkat stayed near but silent, his large yellow eyes watching the screen.  
  
"Oh you don't know how relieved I am to hear one of your woofless jokes." Jade giggled and let out a soft arf.  
  
Dave raised an eyebrow. "I know you enjoyed the furry roleplaying Jade but I'm just not into that shit anymore. You are gonna have to find yourself a new Mister Whiskers McMilktin."  
  
"I don't know what you are talking about Dave. I'm not roleplaying. I'm just arffully happy to hear from you again. It has been years since I've spoken to another human. It has been ruff Dave, really ruff, me trying to get you to roleplay now woof be terrible of me! Besides I’ve found another kitty to play with."  
  
The blond groaned then tried not to laugh at the face Karkat had made. "Goddamnit Harley I'm caught between crying rivers of happy tears that you are still yourself and punching a girl in the face. Don't drive me to option two cause that drive-thru sucks balls."  
  
“Okay, okay maybe now this won’t make you break your cool kid façade. I think you’ll be prepared!” Jade sent a request to video chat with him and Karkat hid behind the couch before he clicked yes.  
  
Dave could only stare at what he saw. Jade Harley had fluffy white dog ears and a fluffy white tail, a stark contrast to her dark skin. “Jade… This isn’t funny. That’s a really good cosplay, now what the hell is going on?”  
  
Jade giggled and the tail wagged and Dave stared even more. “It isn’t a cosplay.”  
  
“Oh my fucking god Harley I knew you’d be a bonafide furry one day but I never imagined this. Are you alright? How the hell did you do this to yourself?”  
  
“Well Grandpa managed to steal one of the transporter things while he was resisting and I got ahold of something I shouldn’t have messed with and ended up fusing with Bec.” Her tail and ears drooped for a moment before going alert again like she was hearing something. “I’m so glad you are safe Dave! I’ve been worried about you and Rose and John. I’ve got to hear all about what you’ve been up to and you must must must meet my two new friends!” Jade grinned at him and bound away.  
  
“She’s high energy.” Karkat spoke low and peered over the couch. “If she fooled with some experimental troll technology, however the fuck she might get ahold of it, I doubt it can be easily reversed.” He ducked back down at the sound of an excited bark and Jade reappeared dragging two trolls with her.  
  
“Dave, I’d like you to meet Nepeta and Equius.” The oliveblood was grinning happily at Dave and waved but the blueblood kept his face neutral. “I’ve got so many funny stories about when we first met. I chased Nepeta here up a tree!” Jade giggled and hugged Nepeta to her causing Equius to scowl for a moment.  
  
“Uh I… Ja--”  
  
Dave was cut off when Karkat vaulted over the couch and landed in sight beside him. “Nepeta! Equius! Where the fuck have you two been?”  
  
“Vantas? You’re still alive?” Equius stared at the screen, his mouth open a little.  
  
“Karkitty, you’re alive! I was afurred you’d been culled.” Nepeta was hopping up and down beside Jade who seemed as happy as could be to find out a reunion was going on.  
  
“No, Gamzee has been able to keep my continued existence a thing. He’s almost a certified Subjugglator.” Karkat scowled a little. “Now back to my fucking question, where the fuck has you two been. I’ve logged on almost every day. What’s been going on and why are you with that human?”  
  
“I could ask you why you are with a human as well Vantas. You are in no position to be in the company of a human. If they found him th--.”  
  
“That’s our business and I’m with him.” Dave narrowed his eyes behind his shades. “This is Karkat’s place not mine and he’s letting me stay here.”  
  
“Just who do you thi--.” Equius was cut off when Jade slapped a hand over his mouth.  
  
“Shut up! That was very nice of you Karkat to let Dave stay with you. Don’t mind Equius Dave, he’s really a Mister Grumpy Hooves because of the conflict between what he wants to do and what the rules say he should do.” She rolled her eyes and Nepeta giggled.  
  
“Can one of you three please explain to me what you are doing there and what the fuck is going on before I scream until my ears bleed?” Karkat groaned and buried his face in his hands.  
  
“Oh, oh I’ll do it! I’ll tell the story they told me and then how we all started living together.” Jade smiled and took a deep breath. “It all started back on Alternia...”  
  
  
  



	8. Guests for the Islander

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it has been a while but the combo of some real life issues and some issues trying to get this written held up this chapter. There is implied character death here though you can make a case that maybe there isn’t depending on what you think happened. 
> 
> The results of the contest are in and while I didn’t win I have no intention of stopping this project. You can find the results here: http://ss-davekat.tumblr.com/contest I recommend giving all the entries a read. I’m especially fond of the short category winner. 
> 
> Thank you for continuing to read to those of you who have been waiting patiently and to those who read during the hiatus welcome new readers. I will try to never again have a near six month drought. Happy reading and I hope this chapter if not worth the wait is at least enjoyable.

“Equius, Equius where are you? I’ve got some pawful news.” Nepeta came running into the room and easily navigated the scattered remains of the robots that Equius had been fighting. “I’ve been assigned to a different place than you.” She jumped up on the blueblood’s back and nuzzled his cheek. “What are we going to do?”  
“Nepeta, we both knew this day might come when our responsibilities would separate us. We all must do our duties in maintaining order, within reason. Where were you assigned?” Equius pulled out his own letter detailing what ship he was going to be on and what responsibilities he’d have. Mostly keeping lowbloods in line and educating others in repair since the work would be beneath his status even if he knew he preferred doing it himself.

“Hunting and tracking runaways and I’ve got to report to my handler by next week. Equius I might have to help find our missing furrends.” She stuck her tongue out at him and climbed off to stand with her arms crossed.  
Equius looked at his moirail and let the idea of her having a handler sink in. They would be above her in caste and not above using painful training methods and if she did have to find someone she knew and didn’t want killed she might be tempted to disobey and the punishment for that would be…

“Neigh, I won’t allow it. That I just cannot stand by and allow to happen. Nepeta we have a very short time before either of us must report and I have something I was employed to make for Vriska but she never picked up.” He led his moirail to a cavern that hid a small ship. “It isn’t quite finished but with your help I think we can accomplish it. Go back to your hive and pack only what is essential and nothing more. Make your way back here without being seen and we will get started.”

***  
Four days passed and the ship was coming along well. It worked on an older system that used a sort of mitosis to create a viable energy but had to be rested to allow the biological system to recover and produce the energy needed for higher speed travel. It worked fairly well for those traveling at a relaxed pace and the system fed off the waste of the crew. It was disgusting but Equius knew he had no time or desire to abduct a Psionic. The empire was watching them very closely now since more trolls meant more crews and more crews needed more ships. Killing Psionics without cause, even the weakest ones, now carried a penalty.

Nepeta was carefully hooking up wires according to his instruction and diagrams when he heard his lusus alert him that there was someone at the door. She followed close behind him but out of sight as he made his way there to see who it was. He opened it and found a drone with an altered assignment for him. He was to report outside his hive within the hour for pick up. He thanked the drone and shut the door, informing it that he just wanted to turn a few things off and collect a couple of belongings. Aurthour moved to stand near the door and Pounce de Leon sat beside him licking a paw.

“I’m sorry.” Equius left the two there and ran back down to the ship. The lussi would remain behind. He had planned to tell them to just do as they pleased and leave the hive, seeing as often they would be culled to hasten the leaving of the troll in question should they not be deemed useful in their own way. The two seemed determined on this new course however and he wasn’t going to stop them.

He gently took the remaining connectors from Nepeta and finished it quicker than he would have liked. “Unfortunately it seems we must depart now Nepeta. Please make your way to your console and have a seat. We will be taking off momentarily.”

After he connected the final one he made his way to the control room, the ship only having the engine room with limited cargo space and the control room with the seats and main consoles. He powered on the engine, almost swearing softly when it stalled for a moment before finally warming up and coming online. The biological systems were functioning normally and he carefully piloted them out of the cavern, keeping the ship low until they were far enough away that it seemed time to try and escape the atmosphere.

He instructed Nepeta on how to keep an eye on the sensors as well as how to work the laser like weapon that was their only defense aside from limited shields. They managed to break atmosphere and were quick to choose a direction and head on at full speed. He had to hope they had been out of range of the ship that was to pick him up. He knew the drone would be breaking down his door soon. He wouldn’t be telling Nepeta about that part. The workshop with all evidence of the planning and building of this ship would be destroyed soon. He’d only put so much delay on the explosives.

Equius stared at the left display screen on his console as he saw the warship come into view. It was barely the size of a pencil eraser but it was visible and he hoped they weren’t in range. The beeping on Nepeta’s told him otherwise. He angled the ship into an asteroid belt just in time to avoid the brunt of the shot they took at the small craft. He deployed a small explosive just as the asteroid was struck. He quickly angled behind a larger one to hide their ship from sight and turned on a device that was supposed to jam their sensors to the presence of the ship but only while they weren’t moving. They both breathed a sigh of relief when the warship went on.  
Three months after they had become fugitives and had to resort to strategically landing on planets to find supplies and work on the ship they were spotted by another imperial battlecruiser. The ship was failing and the engines died on them near a blue planet. Equius turned them towards it with the remaining thrusters and the pair held hands as a barely missing shot clipped their tail and urged them faster into the atmosphere. The impact near the shore of an uncharted island causing them both to fall unconscious. 

***

Jade was out walking one of the beaches, sweat glistening softly on her rich brown arms and face as the sun warmed her pleasantly. She could smell the salty spray and held back the urge to chase the waves. Her grandfather had been an adventurer and a genius but an unfortunate accident with one of the machines left her fused with the family dog and Grandpa dead. She was very very worried about what was to become of not only her but what had happened to her friends. Aliens had attacked and taken over most of the planet very swiftly. News was getting harder and harder to come by. She had plans she was working on to try and go save her friends but work was slow when you were alone and had to get used to dog traits. 

She spotted two gray figures washed up on the shore and narrowed her eyes. She didn’t go for the rifle on her back yet and kept one of her arms at the ready to reach for it. She barely suppressed a growl when the foreign scent hit her nostrils. 

Nepeta blinked and tried to shake off the heavy haze that made it hard to figure out why she was awake and outside when it was clearly day or why she was on a beach. She spotted Jade and became more confused. That didn’t look like any troll she’d ever seen but she considered blaming the strange look on how bright it was. She got onto her feet as her vision adjusted and dropped her wet coat off. The sun of this planet seemed less harsh than Alternia. “Are you a furrend or are you... not?” She had her claws at the ready in a flash and watched the strange alien’s furry ears twitch. 

When Nepeta took a step back to settle into a better stance Jade let out a series of loud barks and began to charge her. The troll was so shocked by the sudden loud outburst that she scrambled for the nearest tree. Once she was high enough in it she hissed down at Jade and looked for something to throw. Jade had forgotten the rifle, her canine instinct to chase the intruder overriding her logic, and simple began to attempt climbing it.

“Hold on just a second. Just wait a fucking moment. You treed Nepeta and just starting barking at her. Suddenly this story is sounding like lame ass entertainment for wigglers who haven’t learned to stop laying in their own excrement.” Karkat rolled his eyes at Jade’s annoyed face. “I’m just calling it like I see it.”

“Don’t interrupt me fuckass. This is all very important!” 

“I don’t see what’s so impo-” Dave’s hand covered Karkat’s mouth lightly and he looked at the troll for a moment before speaking to Jade. He just hoped Karkat wouldn’t bite his fingers over it.

“Sorry about him. He’s got a low tolerance for bullshit and everything is bullshit to him.” Dave elbowed him lightly after moving his hand away and muttered to him. “Let her finish man or she’ll go on longer. We can talk how ridiculously cartoon this shit got later.” He patted Karkat’s shoulder. “Go on and finish Jade.”

“Right. As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted. When Nepeta ran I forgot all about shooting her and chased her up a tree.”

***

Equius stirred and looked around as he tried to get up off the sand, his cracked shade offering some protection from the sunlight. He heard the barking and looked towards the trees, finding Nepeta taking cover from some strange alien barkfiend. He stood and went into a run, drawing his fist back and getting ready to swing. Jade spotted him and barely ducked in time before his fist connected with the wood and the tree fell with a loud snap. 

Nepeta screamed and Equius quickly grabbed the trunk to try and stop the fall but she had already fallen right onto Jade. She ended up on top of her but her claws were sunk into the sand and Jade had her by the wrists trying to keep her from yanking them out. The two girls continued to growl, Nepeta alternating click filled hisses, and Equius dropped the tree. “Nepeta, get off of that foul loathsome creature this instant. We don’t have time to play games. We need to figure out where we are.”

“I’m kinda busy at the moment Equius. I’m not purrlaying. This is serious!”

“Who are you calling foul loathsome creature!?!” Jade kicked Nepeta off and leapt at Equius but the intended tackle didn’t make him even shift back as she wrapped her limbs around him. 

Equius sighed and scowled softly when he heard Nepeta giggling as she stood up while watching Jade’s attempts to pull him to the ground. “If this is so serious why are you laughing at this foolishness now? Get this thing...” The troll let out a loud cry as Jade sunk her teeth into his ear. He threw her off easily though without aiming so both her and Nepeta ended up in the water. He stood in horror for a moment at what he’d done knowing his moirail didn’t know how to swim but it was all for naught as Nepeta’s flailing seemed to change Jade’s outlook on continuing this struggle. She had allowed Nepeta to cling to her at they got back to shore.

Once back on shore Jade was having a hard time extracting the oliveblooded troll, who she hadn’t really saved from anything deeper than two or three feet of water. She felt saved nonetheless and Equius felt it was in their best interest to act civilized if Jade would now. She led the pair back to her house after retrieving her rifle. Nepeta never ventured far from her side while Equius hung back to kept alert for dangers. Jade knew as soon as she got there they were laying down some ground rules. While these two might be the same species as the invaders it seemed possible their enemy might be the same as her own. Not to mention it would be nice to have company even if it turned out she had to rid herself of it later.


	9. The Stray's Hunt and the Gardener's Struggle

It had been a several days since the reunion on pesterchum. Video chats with Jade, Nepeta, and even sometimes Equius were beginning to add to Dave and Karkat’s daily routine. The two couldn’t help noticing that while the girls seemed to adore each other Equius and Jade seemed to be at odds with each other to the point of even competing for attention. Karkat offered to give theories on it but Dave decided he’d rather not know. Jade’s antics with the pair of trolls wasn’t his main concern for the moment though he wished it were, considering what was worrying him. No, sitting in the kitchen after breakfast Dave had a much more important matter he wanted to discuss. It was one he knew Karkat was avoiding.

“We can’t stay here. Not if they are going to keep coming back here to... you know.” Dave bit his lip and looked towards a window as he drummed his fingers softly on the kitchen table. “How long do we have until the next visit?”

“Less than two months now.” Karkat was stirring a half empty cup of now cold tea. He seemed to be focusing on swirling it perfectly without the spoon touching the sides.

“How much less than two months?” He reached out to stop the stirring by gently placing his hand over Karkat’s. The troll let go of the spoon and took his hand for a moment before moving both of his own to his lap and staring a hole in the table.

“Seven weeks. Seven weeks if they don’t change the day.” Karkat covered his eyes with a hand and Dave stood, tapping his shoulder lightly to get him to stand and he walked him into the living room. Once there they both settled onto the couch and Karkat leaned his head lightly on Dave’s shoulder, an arm wrapped lightly around the troll.

“I know you don’t like talking or thinking about it. I don’t really want to either but we have to get out of here. That means coming up with a plan before they come again.” He ruffled the troll’s dark hair. In the four days that had passed since they had contact from Jade and in that time Dave had been urging him as lightly as he could to try to plan something. The troll knew the complex better than he did and knew what might be there for them to use. Jade was going to look over the equipment on the island with the help of that big troll. Dave didn’t remember his name yet but had been shocked to find out that two of Karkat’s friends had ended up on that island. That was two out of eleven he knew the current situation of. He had to hope there was something on island that could help them. Her grandfather had been a genius as much as he’d been insane or so that was how Dave felt anyone that hunted as much and what as he did had to be.

“You think I want to be here?” Karkat frowned after he let the words slip and Dave simply held him tighter. “I know what you are trying to do. I just hate how hopeless it seems. Doing it at night is out of the question. We have to do it during the day when we can create confusion. Worst comes to worst we can hatch a plan and stop those two when they come and do it after.”

“Think we could work in setting prisoners free?” Dave carded the dry dark hair but was careful of the nubby horns.

“I know how you feel about them being there... We can try. No promises but we can fucking try but Dave you know how futile it would be to run around trying to play hero.”

“Who’s playing? If there’s even a chance we can get those people loose they at least stand a chance at trying to hide out somewhere. Has to be better than leaving them.”

“I hope you’re right.” Karkat pressed his face gently into Dave’s chest. “If we’re faced down with a scared mob who never wanted help I’m asking them to kill you first.”

“And I’ll try to make sure you get away from them. I still owe you.”

“No you don’t. Shitstain is your memory that horrible? You made me spit out the pills.”

“No, I don’t think you understand. You don’t have your life back yet.” He leaned his head lightly on Karkat’s.

“Tough luck getting that back. I can’t ever go home. My moirail is out there somewhere hopefully not being a disgrace and behaving like I told him to.” He paused for a moment as the things Eusuch had said about accidents flooded back. “He’s out there and I...”

“He’s out there. He’s out there and you’ll see him again somehow. We’ll figure out how.” Dave still didn’t understand what a moirail was but he was assuming it was best friend but a higher level like a brother from another mother. Seven weeks would put it on or around November 10th or so he guessed. Only reason he knew the day and year was the trolls hadn’t completely shut down the internet and some sites seemed to be still running fine with no interference. He knew it was probably ones hosted in cities where the powerplants were still being maintained. He thought of Rose and wondered if she was alright and he tried not to think of John out somewhere in space as stolen goods. He hoped whoever had him was at least treating him well. He beginning to think he’d probably never see him again.

Karkat seemed to feel the shift in his mood and wrapped both arms around him to hug his side. “Shit happens.”

“Yeah. Shit happens.”

***

In a few days Karkat had to head out for another load from the farm. While he was gone Dave poured over a map of the place he had drawn for him and he added in what he knew about them. There were no more than thirty armed trolls in the compound and Karkat claimed that estimate was probably high. There were vehicles there but no space ships. Dave knew the biggest problem there would be gas and food if they tried stealing a car or something. The supply deliverer had a record of what passed through it when and he knew Karkat stockpiling food and other items would attract attention. He knew the best time to try this might be right after the next group arrived. There was always trouble when more people were brought in. They were usually a mix of refugees and people from other facilities. If it was anything like when he first arrived any of the ones who’d just lost their freedom would be willing to try anything as long they hadn’t already been broken.

They needed weapons and those weren’t easy to come by. Karkat however knew where there was an abandoned town a day or so’s ride from there where he’d gotten supplies and flower seeds from in the past. They could try to find Dave some better clothes and maybe some weapons. Guns they both knew weren’t going to be available. As everything had gone to hell people had tried to defend themselves but though some trolls had died many more humans had fallen either from weapons they couldn’t combat, description from the ships in orbit attack the ground, or the use of controlled lussi.

When he returned Dave helped him ready and burn the bodies and then went through the motions of ash spreading with him, their backs to each other and him saying the words this time. He’d listen to Karkat start only to falter and he picked up in the apologies and well wishes where he’d left off. It was ceremony and it was more for them than the dead and they both knew it but it didn't make it any less worth doing especially now that maybe they could do something for those on the farm with the right planning and enough time.

They finished cleaning up and packed for the short journey to town, both mounting one of the horses. Dave’s was tethered with a rope to Karkat’s as the troll tried to teach him how to ride along the way.

“I don’t like this.” Dave was clinging tightly to his horse’s neck and Karkat looked back to glare at him.

“Shut up Dave, you’re scaring her. She’s as gentle as a newborn woolbeast. We aren’t even going that fast stop being a whining pile of cowardly hoofbeast chewings.” Karkat had had to learn to work the animals almost entirely on his own. He’d been grateful for a few books in the home as well as a couple of internet resources. It hadn’t been a perfect learning process but he’d eventually learned how to handle and care for them.

“Whoa there did you just call me cud? Is that what that was?” Dave straightened up some and raised an eyebrow. He was also hoping to find a better pair of shades than the cheap plastic ones Karkat had provided. He was wearing a straw hat to shield his own eyes, the flowery print band made Dave snicker but he’d shut up when Karkat offered to make him eat it. They’d also both put on sunscreen thought it and the hat made the troll look almost like a tourist. It made him miss his camera.

“Might be, how long did it take you to process that? Now hold the reins you are being led you have less than nothing to worry about. I know what I’m doing.”

“Yeah... right okay. I trust you even if you did just deeply wound me.” Dave slowly sat up properly and found when he did the ride didn’t seem as bad.

They eventually spotted more and more houses and then the buildings became visible. They found a shady spot to tie the horses and set up water for them before beginning to search the shops. Further on Karkat had told him about the big stores he’d seen in the distance but for now the local shops seemed a less risky venture. Almost every building showed signs of the invasion either from damage or looting.

“Let’s find the shit we need fast this fucking ghost town is bugging me.” Dave was shifting nervously on his feet, the silence was surreal. He knew his hometown had pretty much been leveled from above so he didn’t think about comparing the feeling. He wasn’t sure this was any better.

“This way. You said you wanted to see the Pawn Shop.” Karkat led him a few blocks. The troll wasn’t familiar with pawning which was one of the reasons he hadn’t paid much attention to the store, other than well the bars and it being blocked up made it not look worth the effort of going in. Not when what he’d been after was somewhere else. This time though Dave had told him they needed to see if it really wasn’t.

Dave saw why it hadn’t been broken into yet. A quick look through the security bars and into the store window showed that all the gun racks were empty both the front display and the one behind the counter. It looked like the owner took his stockpile and ran but he didn’t forget to lock up. He couldn’t help laughing as he pulled on the chain and heavy lock that kept them from pulling the grates aside and trying to break in the front door. The back door wasn’t covered over like that but it was metal and also locked.

“Well? How do we get in?” Karkat touched his shoulder and Dave shook his head before stepping away knowing that the laughing probably worried him.

“I think about the only way is probably down through the roof but I’d have to get up there first.” Dave had walked around the building three times and without something to cut the lock it seemed to be the only way.

“There is a ladder at the florist’s but that’s six blocks carrying if it is still there. We could do it but that’s going to be a pain and I’m not sure it is tall enough.” He looked at the building next to it. “How good are you at jumping?”

Dave looked where he was and spotted the fire escape. It wouldn’t be a pleasant fall if he didn’t make it but it seemed time to see how much he remembered about urban parkour. “I can do it.” He jumped up to grab the bit of ladder hanging down and began to make his way up to the proper height. He cringed as the thing creaked under his weight but found that it did hold him when it climbed on the edge of the platform that began the fire escape for the second story of the building.

Karkat watched him from below nervously but didn’t join him. Dave could risk an injury, he couldn’t. He shut his eyes when he did it but Dave’s ecstatic woo made him quickly open them again. He looked up and the grinning blond and sighed. “Just hurry up and see if there’s a way in.”

“I know I know, I’m not here to play around Karkat. You act like my feat of jumping prowess was for nothing.”

“It will be for nothing if there’s not way in now come on.” He walked around to the front to see in the window and try to help him find something or at least see him if he got in.

Dave turned and inspected the roof. Air duct was too small for him and no way back up. He did spot a door however and almost yelled again. Things seemed to be going right for a change. It wasn’t locked either. He made his way down the steps that were in the back area of the shop. He looked at all the items with pawn tickets hanging off them. So many unclaimed possesses put back here for need of quick loans. Instruments, tools, game systems, and almost anything of value but a gun.

Dave stepped out the front and waved at Karkat from behind the counter. The troll flipped him off and Dave just rolled his eyes. He found a locked display of knives but they were mostly pocket knives or far too small for the kind of fight they’d probably have if this didn’t go perfectly. Dave broke the glass of the case anyway and poured them out on the counter. Some of them might still be worth something. He dug around the rows of junk until he found a backpack and dropped the ones he could open into it. He swore softly when the only other blades he found were rusted. They’d been sure to take the best stuff it seemed. He thought about picking through the movies and books. Maybe holding titles up to see if Karkat wanted anything and then he spotted it over the display window, sitting on a rack mounted on the wall. A shitty looking sword in an equally shitty looking red, black, and gold sheath. He felt his heart race and ignored Karkat’s apparent alarm when he suddenly knocked a bunch of crap off of shelves and climbed up on them to get at it.

He picked it up off the rack almost reverently and jumped down. Karkat had been about to knock on the glass but he stopped when he Dave cradling the weapon. Dave drew the blade halfway out and stared at the hamon on the edge of the blade. He drew it the rest of the way to test the balance and looked it over. It wasn’t just a display sword and for that he was grateful. He looked at Karkat and held up a finger to tell him to wait and he sheathed it and stepped into the back, sitting down against the wall and hugging the blade to him. It wasn’t Bro’s sword but it brought back plenty of memories all the same and he wasn’t sure how to stop the feelings or if he should.

Karkat sighed and leaned against the glass. “At least he found a weapon. Maybe I should...” He stopped hearing the sound of trash cans being knocked over. He felt his heart begin to race and he knocked on the glass a few times. No answer, no Dave in sight. He swore softly under his breath and looked at the fire escape. He knew he could make it up there and probably the jump but the noise. The noise would attract attention. Then there were the horses to think of. They needed them and if this was someone they would be found. “I don’t have time for this.” He took off in the direct of the horses, hoping that it was nothing but an animal that hit the cans but he couldn’t know that for sure. He heard the dog before he saw it and much worse heard someone tell it to “get em.”

He spotted the charging animal. It wasn’t a lusus, that he was grateful for. He stood his ground and bared his fangs, letting out a series of angry hisses and clicks at it. The dog halted two feet from him and barked savagely but he only stepped closer and got louder before managing to get ahold of the dog’s upper jaw and put it on its side roughly. The animal was so shocked it got quiet and backed off when it stood again, whining and letting out a higher pitched bark this time that the troll ignored. He was far more concerned with the uniformed troll coming nearer. It was one of the range patrol. It had to be. Dark green and gold trim with decorations for rank and blood stains for kills when they couldn’t take you in. He tried not to swear when he saw the face paint and averted his eyes.

“Who the fuck you be short shit? Thought they didn’t let rustshit out alone. Where’s your master motherfucker? He let you wear that?” The troll laughed at the hat and knocked it off his head and Karkat flinched. The obvious clown cultist was on level with Gamzee though not nearly as big as most of his kind got. Karkat wondered if that’s why he got this post. He’d never seen one this short or small even if he was still bigger than him. Most of them wanted to be as large as the famed Grand Highblood. His eyes filled in fully with purple and Karkat thought for a moment he was going to have to fight off chucklevoodoos when he saw the dog lay down.

“Yes, sir.” Lies for now. He was glad that this guy thought he was a rustblood. That meant he really was one of the roamers. He just had to make sure this guy never made another report.

“Well he’s got sorry taste the motherfucker does or a wicked sense of humor shaming his slave with attire.” He grabbed Karkat’s shirt and pinned him to the wall of the nearby building, a sickle coming very near his throat and making him stare. If only he could get it from him.

“Them eyes bright for a rust. Bet you cost someone. How much you worth for that shade? I might be having a talk with him.” The troll leaned close and Karkat felt his hot foul breath on his neck. He saw the troll’s sharp teeth and remembered being on the floor in his kitchen, tensed up, and began hearing a ringing noise. Before he understood what was going on they hit the ground.

***

Dave had ignored the knocking. He needed to sit for a while with the blade. He didn’t need Karkat knowing this shit was getting to him. He had his own problems. He could wait a few minutes while he figured out how to stop these feelings. Stopping them wasn’t an option though and after a few quiet moments when he decided Karkat had given up trying to get him to come out he stood and went through the kind of practice Bro used to make him do every morning, often before dawn, because of one shitty reason or another. He wondered how he knew he’d need it or if he just lucky all this training was going to be useful.

After going through the motions he found he was okay again. It was all so familiar and comforting. He felt safe again almost or as safe as you could feel all things considered. He could try to defend himself. Things could be different this time. This time he could be the one to go down fighting if necessary.

He sheathed the blade again and walked back out into the shop and to the window. He frowned when he didn’t see Karkat but he wondered if maybe he just went to stand in the shade. Dave sighed and grabbed some things for the troll to maybe make up for one ignoring him and two only finding one good weapon. There weren’t even any baseball bats. A couple of novels and movies and a few toys seemed like a good peace offering to him.

He looked around one more time before climbing the stairs and coming out on the roof. Then he heard yelling and a voice he didn’t recognize. He knew it was another troll from the inhuman noise and suddenly his annoyance at Karkat’s impatience turned into panic and anger at his own stupidity.

He dashed and leapt at the fire escape, grabbing it and climbing back into the creaky platform. He ran down the steps not caring how much noise he made and just dropped down instead of using the ladder when he reached it. He began following the sounds and kept his hand on the sword. “I’ll be damned if I’m just going to watch anything else happen to him.” He smelt the blood long before he saw it and ignored the dog sleeping on the ground and moving as if it were running, its dreams being influenced by the very power that made it go to sleep.

He stepped around the corner where the two seemingly had struggled into an alley. Karkat was holding fast, his teeth deep in the troll’s neck. Dave stared at the scene and slowly let go of his weapon. Karkat’s eyes were on him but Dave wasn’t sure he recognized him. He was making a high pitched clicking noise and growling. “Hey... hey easy. I think you got him.”


	10. Calming the Gardener and the Islander's Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The following chapter contains gore as hinted at at the end of chapter 9.

Karkat let out a high pitched chitter that was muffled by his mouth still being firmly on the throat of the dead troll as he continued to lay on the body with his feet dug into the dirt. Dave slowly stepped nearer and Karkat finally let go of his bite, his mouth and chest stained grotesquely with indigo blood. Dave covered his own mouth with his hand as he stared at the neck of Karkat’s attacker. He could see the spine and bits of flesh and muscle. The troll had gnawed until movement stopped or so thats what it looked like. This wasn’t the worse thing Dave had seen but it was hard to connect the carnage he saw with the troll he’d been leaning on and watching movies with just yesterday. Now he realized just how wrong he’d been in underestimating the little mutantblood. He was snapped out of his thought when Karkat let out a loud clicking hiss and raised up off the troll and onto his knees.  
  
Dave had thought Karkat was simply gripping the other troll while he bit but now he saw the sickle and the slashes and stabs and Karkat’s free hand gripping deep in one of the wounds to the troll’s stomach. Dave tried not to feel sick. He stumbled over to a wall, shutting his eyes and trying to will away the image of Bro’s own sword carving into him. He heard another shrill hiss from Karkat as he stood and pulled out some of the troll’s insides as he did still refusing to let go of that hold. He seemed to forget Dave for a moment as he hacked into the other troll again leaving a fresh wound tearing open the uniform the rest of the way and exposing what Dave though might be part of a lung.  
  
“KARKAT! That’s enough.” He stepped forward and reached a hand out to him. “Let’s go home. He’s dead. He can’t hurt you.” Karkat struck his hand with his blood covered one and backed up, still holding the weapon at the ready. Dave knew he was still in some kind of shock. He took the backpack off and set the sword against the wall. He very slowly removed his shirt and tried to keep his voice calm. “Easy Karkat. Easy. I’m not going to hurt you.”  
  
He knew he had to disarm him before he hurt himself or mistook him for another enemy. Dave heard a whimper and saw that the dog had woken up and was on its feet. It barked at the troll and whined in a high note. Karkat seemed distracted by the sound and Dave took that chance to flash step behind him and wrapped his shirt around the troll’s head and held it fast to blind him. He hoped that maybe the darkness would calm him down.  
  
Karkat screamed and thrashed about, hissing and clicking and chittering fearfully as he swung the sickle around. The sounds and sight were too much for the dog who took off and Dave took the first chance he saw to sweep the troll’s legs from under him and pin him to the ground, his head still wrapped. The impact made him release the sickle and he continued his incoherent shrieking and struggled to get Dave off of him until finally he became still.  
  
Dave was shaking when the fighting stopped. He worried for a moment he’d hurt him or somehow broken his neck or strangled him. “Shit... SHIT... Karkat? Karkat?” He got off him and turned him over before removing the shirt. He touched his neck gently. Pulse and breathing were okay. It looked like he’d passed out from the strain. Dave lifted his head gently and let it rest on his knees and he stroked the troll’s face. “I never should have let myself brood like that. You needed me but at the same time you fucking didn’t. You did it all yourself scared as hell but you did and that’s... I don’t know what that is. I’m sorry.” He picked him up in his arms with a little effort and leaned against the wall holding him and ignoring the strong odor of blood that was turning his stomach. “Just please... wake up yourself... not like what that made you. Not what the fear did.” Dave coughed a few times, the stench of blood and the sight of the other troll finally becoming too much and he leaned against the wall to puke.  
  
It took some effort but after he recovered he managed to get the backpack on and he didn’t bother putting the shirt back on. He turned back to look and spotted Karkat’s straw hat soaked in blood and he draped the shirt over the troll’s head and face instead. He carried him for blocks until he spotted what he was looking for, a secondhand store. The door was already broken into and he entered, picking over the clothes for things in both their sizes and overstuffing the backpack. He set him gently in a corner and was scared that he hadn’t woken up but he wasn’t going to try to wake him. Not yet. He didn’t want to find out the Karkat he’d been growing to know and like might be gone and replaced with someone very scared. He came over and very carefully undressed him. He wanted him out of the bloody clothes. He ran to the bathroom and almost yelled hallelujah when the running water still worked. He carried him in and washed him as well as he could in the dark and didn’t worry about the weird things he felt as he ran all the wet paper towels he could make over him. He dumped shirt, pants, underwear, socks, shoes and all into the trash and put him into a pair of swim trunks and a tank top. Dave added the shirt he’d used to subdue him to the trash and pulled on a red shirt he’d found in the clothes. He didn’t know how he’d get all this back to the horses when he spotted red wagon among the toys and loaded everything he found they could use that he could manage into it with the back pack. It was heavy and he was scared it would fail or overturn or he’d dump it but he managed not to and he carried Karkat in his arms again as best he could.  
  
He bundled the backpack and clothes and things into a blanket and tied it to his horse. He also managed to tie the wagon upside down to the bundle. He repacked the containers they’d used to leave the animals water and wrapped the troll in a blanket before trying to mount the other horse with him. He eventually had to lead them over to a bench and climbed on with him in his arms. He sat him side saddle in front of him and began the arduous process of riding back without his directions. The road and way back he understood but it was how to control the animals that he didn’t know. However Karkat had trained the pair pretty well and they knew the way back and got him there albeit slow as Dave was too nervous to make them go faster than a trot.  
  
It was evening when they arrived home and Dave took Karkat in first, gently laying him on the couch and taking care of the animals before bringing everything in. Once he had everything settled he sat down and pulled Karkat into his lap. He uncovered his face and started to gently pat him. “Hey... Hey you’ve been out long enough. Wake up. Wake up Karkat this isn’t funny. This is a pretty lame joke. John lame. Lame lame. Please. Please just wake up. I don’t... I don’t know what I’ll do if you don’t. It isn’t just making getting out of here double impossible instead of just single seeming impossible that we can beat the shit out of with luck. I need you. You’re my friend and we look out for each other and without you I’ve got no one to watch my back and no back to watch so just wake up.” He checked his breathing and pulse again and let out a sigh, burying his face in the troll’s chest. “Come back to me.”  
  
***  
  
Karkat glanced around the room. It was night and his head was hurting and Dave had a death grip on him and they were home. His mouth was dry and tasted like someone washed it with handsoap and he heard his stomach let out a gurgle. He wanted something to drink worse but that hunger sound didn’t help the rising irritability his confusion and pain and dehydration was bringing him. He prodded Dave sharply in the shoulder. “Wake up or let go. Shit what are you even doing?” He couldn’t remember going to sleep and he wanted water too back to try to think through the pain. He let out a loud squeak when Dave squeezed him tightly.  
  
“You’re okay. You’re okay thank everything you’re fucking okay.” He laugh and stood up spinning the two of them around.  
  
“Shit Dave no no stop this stupidity right now. Stop it. My head’s killing me and I can’t take your idiocy.” He struggled in his arms and the two ended up falling onto the couch, Karkat on top of him and Dave still laughing. “Are you fucking crazy? Is your brain damaged?” He patted his face hard and almost screamed when Dave kissed his nose. “You are fucking insane.”  
  
“Insanely happy you mean.” He let got of the troll who looked a little panicked by all this and knew he probably took it a little too far. “Sorry.”  
  
“No sorry, just follow and explain.” He half ran into the kitchen, drinking a glass and a half from the tap before he was satisfied and began making a sandwich. “What the fuck has you acting like a barkfiend that hasn’t seen me in 5 sweeps? I wake up and you’ve got me in a death grip like that and then you act like you thought I’d died or something. What the fuck is going on?”  
  
“Hey hey hey I didn’t lick your face.” He sat down at the table with him after he’d finished making it.  
  
“You looked like you were about to.” Karkat took a large bite and chewed it, glaring at the blond for an explanation.  
  
Dave leaned his head against his hand, his fingers threading up into his own hair and palm resting just over one of his eye. “You passed out and you wouldn’t wake up.”  
  
“Wouldn’t wake...?”  
  
“You passed out after I tried to calm you down.”  
  
“Calm...?”  
  
“I found that sword in the shop and took it in the back to try it and try to forget the shit it made me think of and I thought you were knocking because you didn’t like me just walking off like that. I saw you were gone and I grabbed some things to try to make it up to you because I should have told you what I was doing. I got out of there and heard you fighting and I ran to help but... you didn’t need it. You took him down yourself, got the jump on him it looked like. Scared him or something he even dropped his blade or failed to use it. You don’t have a scratch. You didn’t recognize me so I tried to cover your face and get you to settle but I guess the stress was too much for you and you passed out.”  
  
Karkat finished his sandwich in silence and Dave followed him into his bedroom and sat with him on the mattress. “Sorry.” He leaned his head on the other’s shoulder. “I just lost it. He talked about buying me and was really close and before I knew it we were on the ground and I had his sickle and I don’t really remember much else.“ He remembered the taste of blood and then a lot of it but then the ringing was louder and he stopped trying to piece it together. It didn’t seem worth it especially with Dave this shaken up. “You were scared for me, weren’t you?”  
  
“Yeah. I was. Not just about getting out of here either. I’d miss you. You’re the first new friend I’ve made since the planet went to hell, well you know what I mean, and I don’t want to lose that. Especially when the last thing I did was ignore you.” Dave wasn’t expecting the hug but he was quick to wrap his arms around the troll. “We’ve both got weapons now. Not guns or lasers or bombs but something. You also took care of yourself and managed to hold out until you really needed me. That’s good right?”  
  
Karkat butted foreheads with him lightly. “Of course that’s good. You say the most obvious and stupid things at times but... I am glad to have you here to look out for me when I get in over my head. Want to tell me why my mouth tasted like soap?”  
  
“Oh well... I had to wash you up and i didn’t get one without soap and water because I was being an idiot.” Dave grinned at him. “I did it in the dark so I’ve got no idea what I was doing. I even got the horses back alright.”  
  
“Dumbass. You’ve only half spared my shame but you did make this easier I guess. So i think that deserves something so...” Karkat kissed his nose. “You did good for someone with your level of incompetence. And they more likely got you back here knowing them so don’t take credit for their intelligence cheater. Did you even eat? I bet the answer is no. Go eat something asshole and then come back in here. I want more sleep.”  
  
“You can’t sleep without me for some reason?” Dave bounced his brows and got a pillow across the face for his trouble.  
  
“I want to make sure that shit was just a trauma induced blackout and i don’t want you checking on me every five minutes since you were so worried. Now go before I drag you in there and feed you myself through a funnel.”  
  
“Aye aye, sir.” Dave gave him a mock salute that earned him three pillows being thrown at him on his departure, one hitting the back of his head and the other his lower back. He came back to find Karkat in an oversized shirt and his grin only earned him a scowl. The room was dim with the heavy curtains blocking the sunlight.  
  
“Lay down before I change my mind.”  
  
“You’re the boss.” Dave tried to keep a straight face when Karkat snuggled up next to him under the comforter. He kept the room’s AC cold enough to still need the blanket and Dave knew better than to make a crack about it giving him an excuse to seek warmth. He didn’t want him changing his mind.  
  
***     
  
“They still aren’t online Jade. Do you think something happened?” Nepeta was sitting on her knees on Jade’s bed staring at the screen of one of the many computers in the room.  
  
“Probably just busy trying to figure out how to get out of there. You know they were going to try to arm themselves. I’m not sure how far that town is but I don’t think it is time to worry.” Jade brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear and continued to pour over her Grandfather’s writings. With the help of the two trolls in the six months they’d been here she’d found and learned to utilize many of the devices and much of the technology. “I think I know how to get them out of there but it is going to be dangerous.”  
  
“Is there a way that wouldn’t be furry dangerous?” Nepeta flopped on her back and watched Jade upside down. “You look like you could use a break Jade.”  
  
“There is dangerous and then more dangerous and then downright insane.” She turned towards her and ticked off each on her finger. “Insane is packing up and trying to make it to the west coast or an airport and flying or driving a boat out here. That’s no good. Dave got caught with his brother attempting something like that. There are too many trolls out there now. The more dangerous is Equius and I working together to get the spaceship Grandpa built flying and trying to pick them up. That could take months and without their exact location it will be difficult to make it in time. Not to mention if we are unlucky and another ship is in the area we’ll be a stain on th landscape.”  
  
Nepeta made a face and Jade came over to pet her hair and scritch under her chin, making the troll purr. “The best plan I can think of is to use the supply transports to come out here. Once I know the codes and coordinates I can enter them on the ones Grandpa stole and modified to bring them here. I just have to finish rebuilding the power source and controls that he laid out in his journals.”  
  
“The problem with that is they may be able to back trace it and find us.” Equius came up the stairs, wiping sweat off his brow. “Which is why I suggest we ready the transporter but also begin repairs immediately on the ship.”  
  
“Then you get to start on the ship and I will continue working on the transporter plan. I want this finished before those two are ready. We might not have a second chance at getting this right. I need to test it with the second transporter first and then move it to another spot on the island and try it there to be sure everything is calibrated properly. If you want to spend all your time working on the ship and not assist me with this then you are welcome to it.”  
  
Nepeta continued to lean into the touches and purr, seemingly unworried about the argument the two were having. Her eyes were wide with interest. She’d been keeping a very close eye on the progression of the antagonizing effect the two seemed to have on each other. Her and Jade got along very well and Equius knew it. He’d even caught the two kissing a few times. Nepeta however had noticed bruises on both and scratches on Equius. She couldn’t help but hope her newest blackrom otp was coming true.  
  
“Fine I will. It will go more efficiently without your meddling. As I believe it is my day to prepare the last meal I will report to the kitchen and begin. I believe you will both find it satisfactory and filling.”  
  
“Doubt that with the lack of meat and _your_ cooking skills.” Jade whispered to Nepeta under her breathe making the oliveblood giggle.  
  
“What was that?” Equius paused on the stairs.  
  
“Go on you don’t have to hear every little thing.” Jade rolled her eyes and motioned for him to shoo. Equius stared at her for a moment before going. Once he was gone Nepeta pulled her lightly onto the bed and nuzzled under her chin, making Jade’s tail wag.  
  
“Equius means well. We can live through his cooking a couple of times a week.” She kissed Jade lightly and the two snuggled together.  
  
“Later when he’s down with the ship or asleep we can sneak to the kitchen and I’ll make us a snack to ensure we live through it.” He rubbed her horns lightly causing the troll to purr louder. “I don’t begrudge him his diet but he could take our needs into account. I need something to tear into.” Jade snapped lightly at the air making the other girl giggle and they began to wrestle on the bed.    
  
Nepeta eventually pinned her and began to lick at her neck, making Jade giggle, her tail wagging even harder. Jade threaded her fingers into Nepeta’s hair and began to scritch at her scalp while the other girl played with her ears. The transporters could wait for now. She had needed a break and Nepeta was being far too convincing about getting her to take one.


	11. The Stray and Gardener Fight and Have a Visitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is gore in the latter half of the chapter. A Little late but here's to a year writing this story. Cheers.

Karkat and Dave had taken it easy for a  few days after the ordeal in town. As much as Dave hated cutting them off from Jade he knew they both needed a break before the real work and stress began. He’d stuck very close to Karkat during their down time and while it seemed to annoy him it was giving Dave piece of mind. He continued to watch over him and aid him as he could when the planning began again. They continued to gather information from the camp and as Jade needed to get their escape ready. After a few weeks Dave was growing tired of Karkat avoiding one question that was on his mind. The only had a little over two weeks remaining until the day of their hopeful escape came.

“Karkat what are we going to do about the other prisoners? I’m not letting you shut me down this time.” He was standing in front of him, the troll had been reading on the couch. Dave had placed his hands on either side of Karkat’s shoulders and he watched his face to be sure that the trapping wasn’t doing more than keeping him there.

Karkat scowled softly and put the book aside, crossing his arms and staring up at Dave. “What do you want me to fucking say? Charge in there swinging blades and kill all the guards? There are probably two dozen of those  lumpsquirting shitflingers. There are, what, maybe two thousand people to free? How the fuck do you plan to organize that mob Dave? We’ll probably get a good chunk of the fucking killed the moment we attempt a revolt and they go to running like headless cluckbeasts. I just don’t think it would be wor-”

“You fucking listen to me. I don’t give a rat’s ass about whether you think they are worth your precious fucking time. Those are my people and they are being forced to do work and live without a moment of fucking freedom. Don’t you DARE claim they aren’t worth the fucking time and effort while you’re out here...”  Dave trailed off as he looked at the troll. The sting in his hand and the pink mark on the troll’s face as well as the hurt look that came over his eyes made Dave stop for a moment and realize what he’d just done. “Shit... Karkat I-” He panicked when Karkat moved and went to try to grab him and touch the place, worried he was going to force him out of the house again or go lock himself away but neither happened as Dave’s ass hit the floor and he barely kept his head from hitting it.

Karkat had shoved him away over the coffee table before he could even attempt to hug him or touch his face. His own hand came up to touch the place he’d been slapped, the pain was ebbing and the pink draining slowly away. “YOU FUCKING THINK FOR TWO SECONDS ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING TO ME BEFORE YOU OPEN YOUR SHITSPEWING HOLE.” The troll drew his knees up to his chest as he looked at Dave who had remained on the floor, his legs partly on the coffee table. “You think I don’t get a shit about them? You think I’m that fucking cruel that I don’t get what’s going on here? You got so fucking caught up on them did you forget we are barely better off? Yeah we could try to go somewhere fucking else right now but I told you about the trackers. You got caught by them before so you could fucking remember for a second. You remember two days ago when I didn’t come back with any bodies? That’s because they don’t want me out here without having to physically check in often enough that I couldn’t fucking get the distance we need to outrun them. I’m only alive because of HER FUCKING GRACE and any moment the order could come that hey we don’t care about keeping one fucking subjugglator in training in check let’s go fucking kill his moirail now. ” Karkat let out a soft groan and buried his face in his knees. He was taking in deep breaths and his face was red.

Dave finally slid his legs off the table, his own anger and frustration had been replaced with shame. He still wanted to help the prisoners but taking his emotions out on the one person able to help him wasn’t productive. He sat on the couch beside him and gently touched his shoulder. He’d wanted to try a hug but he didn’t want to end up shoved away. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have slapped you. You want to make sure we get out of there and forgetting everyone else makes thing easier. Can you forgive me for being stupid?” He leaned over and kissed his cheek lightly. “I promise if it is too big a risk for us we can forget it and I’ll save my plan to start freeing people for when we’re better equipped for it.”

Karkat looked at him for a moment before giving him a soft smile and putting his legs back down. He opened his arms offering a hug but when Dave smirked and leaned closer Karkat returned the slap hard, knocking the shades off his face and standing up to yell down at him. “DON’T YOU EVER CUT ME OFF LIKE THAT AGAIN. DO YOU HEAR ME?” He glared at the other, happy that he looked shocked as he’d been about the slap. Karkat sat back down on the couch and crossed his arms, huffing some as he spoke. “You learn to use your fucking words with me Strider. I know you’re better than that. Maybe we could at least buy them a little time but letting all those people go isn’t a guarantee they’ll stay free. Use your fucking head. We can’t take them all to the island. Jade said we can only manage one safe trip on the equipment and there’s still a chance we could end up dead in transport. She and Equius can’t seem to get around the fucking thing overheating. Living things unlike the fucking supplies have to arrive alive and I don’t think you want to risk trying to line them all up to die traveling through now do you? We can try to kill the trolls and hope that they are smart enough to band together and use what is there to attempt to keep their freedom but that is all. We can’t be raising a militia Dave. We don’t have the firepower needed to deal with any ships sent to stop it. We don’t have the ability to organize them ourselves. And we have no guarantee they’ll even listen to us. For all you fucking know they’ll string me up in a tree or gut me. I’m a troll remember and you’re a fucking kid to a lot of them. You really think we have a chance of getting them to follow us? You saw how quickly your planet was decimated. We’ve done this shit for hundreds of your years. We can’t be banking on maybes and good intentions.” Karkat finished by throwing a cushion at him which hit Dave in the face.

Dave had retrieved his shades off the floor and he nodded before opening his arms this time, hoping he’d accept the apology. “I understand.” He watch Karkat hesitate for only a moment before moving to hug him. This wasn’t an action movie and he knew he had to think further ahead. He hoped they’d be able to try but now he knew that if it came down to it he had to be ready to choose between going with Karkat or attempting to stay and fight to free the other prisoners. He couldn’t ask the troll to make that choice with him. He’d been through enough and he was right. He had no idea if they wouldn’t just kill Karkat even if he had helped them. He had wanted to kill him when he first found him nursing him after all.

Karkat touched Dave’s shoulder when he’d been making the couch up to sleep and shook his head, motioning for him for to follow. Dave grabbed the pillows and didn’t argue. He joined him in bed and they snuggled up, Karkat letting him hold him close without protest. He murmured an apology into Dave’s chest and he into the troll’s hair.

***

The next two weeks were spent making the final preparations and getting ready to go. Dave had given Karkat space for a few days after the fight before falling back into their closer routine other than at night when he seemed to want Dave there. He had just finished making them lunch and headed out to the small stables to see if Karkat needed a hand with anything. He to the doorway and then quickly hid out of sight, only peeking in carefully.

Karkat had his arms around the neck of one of the two black draft horses. They were huge animals and the one he was hugging had a white splotch on its face right between the eyes that had a thin stripe going down the face. “I’m sorry.” He spoke softly, the other horse nudging at his elbow from the other stall. “Starlight, Ebony... I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to leave you behind but... fuck.” He sobbed soft and made a low chittering noise. Starlight nibbled at his hair some and he pulled back, eyes full of pink tears. “You stop that you know I had horse spit in my hair.” He patted the animal’s nose and the horse lightly bumped into his hand. The other horse tugged at his sleeve and he moved to hug the other one in the same way.

“Ebony...” He sniffed softly, body quivering. “I’m going to miss you too. Here...” He pulled a handkerchief to wipe his nose and he grabbed up the brush and began running it over the animal’s neck and mane. “That feel nice girl? I know you like your brushing.” He let out another soft sob and the horse’s head came down to rest on his shoulder. Starlight moved over to nudge Karkat’s back lightly before beginning to nibble at his hair. He dropped the brush and almost collapsed again the wall of the stall, sobbing violently.

Dave almost went in but shook his head and headed back to the kitchen to warm the oven a little to keep their lunch warm. He pressed his hands into his face and wondered just what the hell made him think the troll couldn’t care about anything else in his moment of anger. He sniffed softly and listened out for him to come in. He could still see clearly the troll clinging to the animals and wailing like his heart we broken. He slammed his fist on the table but he said nothing when the troll finally came in.

***

Three days before the night the next group of prisoners were to arrive Karkat was resting his head on Dave’s shoulder as they watched another movie. The troll was relaxed and enjoying it, the fight had been forgotten for the most part other than Karkat leaving him alone whenever he poured over the maps they’d made.

Dave wrapped an arm around him and he rested his head on Karkat’s lightly. He remembered something he’d been meaning to ask. “What are we going to do once we’re out there, out of here I mean?”

“I want to do nothing for a while if that’s alright with you. I think I’ve had enough excitement for near a fucking lifetime and before we go trying to find your friends we better have some down time.” Karkat stood and went over to the window, drawing the curtain a little to look out towards the road. “Yes, I know you were going to ask about it. I’m willing to considering helping you on another crazy adventure but not until I’ve had time to breathe.”

Dave paused the movie. He could hear the horses now and knew Karkat was seeing if they were alerting him to someone’s approach. At sound of a fourwheeler he scrambled to grab all evidence of his being in the room from his cup to an extra plate to a shirt he’d left laying on a chair. Once he’d shoved it all into the coat closet he joined Karkat near the window but out of sight. He rubbed his shoulder lightly before gripping it when he spotted their visitor. “That’s-”

“Eusuch. Dave... go.” He let go of the curtain and touched his cheek gently. “I’ll be okay. Just go hide somewhere. I’ll try to keep it short. Auroch isn’t with him.” Karkat was trying not to freak out. “I don’t know why he’s here. It could be nothing but reminding me about the next shipment in person. He’s done shit like this before.”

“Yell for me if it comes to it. I’ll stay back until you do.” Dave pulled him into a tight hugged and rubbed his back lightly, nuzzling his cheek to try to calm the tense troll down. “I don’t want to but I know we don’t have any fucking choice if we wanna get out of here.” He let go and slipped into the closet, leaving the door just barely cracked and hiding behind some coats and boxes.

Karkat managed to steady himself and headed for the door, waiting for the knock and a moment to pass before he opened it. “Good afternoon sir, how can I help you today?” He was greeted simply with Eusuch flashing his teeth in a grin and pushing past him. Karkat had to rush forward and nearly dive to save his crabtop from the floor when it was pushed over so the blueblood could put his feet up on the coffee table in that spot.

“Thought I’d pay a personal visit to brief you on some things crabs.” Eusuch watched Karkat as he put the device on an end table and patted the spot on the couch beside him, the place Dave have been sitting.

Dave bit his lip to remain silent as he watched the larger troll throw his authority around. He resisted the urge to take the bluntest object he could find and crack the troll’s skull. ‘How much of a douche can you even be?’ He hated that he could see their backs but knew if he couldn’t he’d have wanted to. He wanted to be ready if Karkat needed him. He wanted to know what the bastard wanted and what he was going to do.

Karkat sat down, trying to leave a little space between them and trying to keep his anger and fear in check. He was shaking slightly and he wasn’t sure which was causing it. Eusuch wrapped an arm around him. Karkat tensed up and made a low clicking noise in his chest.

“Ease up there crabs, I just wanna have a little chat with you all cozy like.” The blueblood grinned broadly, showing his sharp teeth. “We’ve had a bit of a scheduling change and I wanted to give the intel to you in person. Just being neighborly. I thought you might be getting lonesome out here by yourself. No company and not contact from what’s his face highblood.”‘

“I’m fine. Thank you for your concern sir.” Karkat was fidgeting and gripping his hands lightly in his lap. He spoke very softly and very low. Dave could barely hear him from the closet.

“Don’t be like that crabs. I’ve come to visit you. Least you can do is offer me something to drink and eat.” He cupped Karkat’s cheek and then scratched under his chin lightly. “Didn’t anyone school feed you on being a good host?” He chuckled as Karkat leapt up to head for the kitchen.

“Right away, sir. I’m sor-”

Dave clenched his fists when he heard the smack and the sound Karkat made. He bit his lip until he tasted blood but stayed silent and where he was.

“Fine ass there Vantass. Hurry now or I might have to give you another.” Eusuch laid back on the couch and watched Karkat dash into the kitchen. Dave moved a bit closer to the opening when he saw him eyeing Karkat’s crabtop but the troll didn’t move from the couch. Dave could hear Karkat banging around the in the kitchen as he hurried to get him something.

“Here you are sir, my apologies.” Karkat set a tray on the empty space on the coffee table. He’d poured a glass of lemonade and made a few cold cut sandwiches and even sliced an apple and put peanut butter on it.

Eusuch looked over the spread before backhanding the glass to the floor. “Clean up that mess crabs and don’t bother with another drink. I don’t like that lemon swill.” The troll let out a soft squeak and dashed for the kitchen for a towel to kneel down and mop it up off the carpet as best he could. He was glad the glass hadn’t broken. “No no, turn around crabs I want to see the back of ya while you do it.” Karkat grimaced before crawling around to the other side of the mess and picking up ice into the cup and scrubbing with the towel as quickly as he could. He could hear the blueblue humming as he began on the sandwiches, Dave balling his fists tighter as crust hit the floor. “Don’t get up crabs just crawl around and get it. Eat it for me would ya? Don’t pick it up with your hands either.” He laughed as he watched mutantblood lower his face to the carpet to eat the thrown bread crust.. Dave got a good look at him once and they locked eyes, the troll in tears but he shook his head very slightly as he picked up another crust to eat with his mouth, chewing as quickly as he could.

Karkat rejoined him on the couch when Eusuch patted the spot beside him. He swallowed when he accepted the plate with the fruit and the troll laid across his lap. “Sir?”

“Feed em to me crabs.” Eusuch grinned at him and ate the first piece offered. When held the second for Eusuch to eat he grabbed Karkat’s wrist and grabbed the piece from him. He spread the peanut butter on his hand and fingers and pulled it to his mouth, making him keep his hand there while he licked it clean. “The humans are coming tonight crabs. In the evening. We can go to the party together even and you can take off the rotting corpses and the fresh kills we gotta make tonight.”

Dave covered his mouth as he watched as Karkat begin to tremble and he grabbed an aluminum baseball bat that was leaning in a back corner. He tightened his grip on it. and got ready to come out the moment Karkat signaled him.

“Crabs don’t be like that. Don’t start the water works. You act like I’m gonna hurtcha.” He sat up and gripped Karkat’s hair roughly and pulled until he’d exposed his throat and leaned in to whisper to him. “Don’t be a little whiny bitch. Keep feeding me crabs and maybe I’ll make it pleasant.” He licked the shell of Karkat’s ear and let go to lean back against the couch and laugh.

Karkat began to hear a familiar ringing in his head coupled with the other troll’s laugh. He gripped the plate tightly as he began to shake harder than ever. He remembered that same laugh from so many other times but especially that night. He looked at the plate and then at Eusuch who had shut his eyes now and was even wheezing a little.

Dave thought for a moment that Karkat might call him out now. Here was the opening. They could stop him now. He didn’t have to go through it again. He edged closer to the opening, ready to rush out there and try to bash the fucker’s skull in when he saw movement not from Eusuch but Karkat.

Karkat busted the plate over Eusuch’s head and jabbed the large sharp shard he’d kept a hold of right in the troll’s left eye socket and twisted it.  Eusuch let out a scream and then hissed loudly before pinning Karkat under him, both his hands on his throat. He let go when the bat connected with his head and he rolled over on the floor to see Dave standing between his legs. Eusuch stared in shock, recognizing him before Dave brought the bat crashing down on his face, shattering his nose and making the troll scream loudly and kick him away.

Karkat skittered over the couch and went into the kitchen but Eusuch ignored him, blood pouring from his nose and his left eye socket where the eye was hanging by the nerves. It was severely damaged. He drew his machete from its leather casing at his side and he pointed it at Dave. “YOU? I thought I left your skull bashed in fucker. I don’t know how you’re still breathing but I’m gonna gut you and feed that little fucker your guts before I skin him.” Dave was trying not to get cornered as they moved about the room. He hoped the longer he kept him up and moving the more likely he’d be to feel the effects of blood loss, or so he hoped. Dave blocked the blade with the bat when he could and jumped back when he couldn’t to avoid the blows. Eusuch was growling loudly as he missed. “Stay still you monkey fucker.”  

Dave spotted Karkat coming out of the kitchen quickly but before he could tell him to stay away he was having to block another blow and ended up having his feet swept out from under him and lost hold of the bat. Dave went to get ready to kick up when Eusuch let out another screaming hiss, gurgling blood and falling on Dave’s legs pinning him to the spot, his blade dropping from his hand. Karkat had sunk a butcher’s knife into the side of his neck. He yanked it back out and dropped down to sit on the blueblood’s back and began to chop into him over and over splattered blood all around. Dave laid still for a moment before managed to scramble out from under the corpse. He watched Karkat movements for a moment before rushing forward and taking hold of his wrists, shoving him off and onto the floor. Karkat let out an angry scream but dropped the knife when Dave pressed his face to his.

“Dave...” Karkat’s lower lip trembled and he swallowed hard, both of them were covered in blue blood.

“That’s okay Karkat. He’s gone. We’ve gotta figure out our next move. Sounds like we’re leaving tonight. Let’s get you cleaned up okay?” He stood and picked up the troll who clung to him tightly as they moved. Dave walked quickly, wanting to get away from the body. Karkat had exposed organs and bones in several places and even managed to sever the head after Dave had gotten out from under Eusuch. He was sure there was no chance the troll was alive.

Dave undressed them both, Karkat wouldn’t let go, and carried him into the shower. He turned on the water as hot as it would go and he stood shielding him from the cold water until it warmed. He turned the other tap to get it to a temperature they wouldn’t scald and he held him as the blood rinsed off them. He rubbed Karkat’s back lightly and ignored the pain in his shoulders where the troll’s sharp nails were piercing his flesh. He leaned against the wall and held him one armed, grabbing the shampoo and squirting it all over them, not wanting to bother with bar soap. He held Karkat and rubbed the suds over them until all of it rinsed away. Karkat eased up and let enough to stand on his own in time and Dave took that opportunity to wash his hair and Karkat’s. After he rinsed Karkat slipped behind Dave and hugged him lightly, kissing at the places he’d drawn blood and murmuring sorry against his back. Dave turned around and hugged him close, burying his face in Karkat’s neck.


	12. The Finality of Leaving

They woke up early and ate what they wanted of the food that they couldn’t take with them. Packing took a little time, though they knew they couldn’t carry much. The important things were packed first, clothes and Karkat’s husktop and its accessories. Karkat sorted through the movies and books, taking favorites only, though Dave had him pick a few more for him to carry. Dave only had the clothes and a few things Karkat had found for him or what he’d found in town. They finished filling their backpacks as much as they dared and spread old gas and oil in different parts of the house; Karkat handed Dave the matches and headed out to the garden. 

The sun had just hit its apex and Karkat knelt among the flowers in his thickest pants. He shut his eyes and took in the soft scent of the flowers that remained. There were fewer now than a few months ago. Fall had begun in earnest. He opened his mouth and closed it several times before managing to murmur an apology. He knew that this would be his last time in his garden. He cut a sprig of monkshood and closed it in a hardcover before heading for the stables. He choked softly when he tried to swallow and he hugged each horse before giving them both another feeding. He wasn’t sure if hoofbeasts like these two knew how to go back to being wild, but he hoped they would. Neither ate much after having had a large breakfast and he poured out the feed bags and what he had left of their feed into feed troughs and containers. He changed the water and then opened their stable doors. “Goodbye.”

He heard the first crackling of the fire and shut his eyes as he listened as it began to spread, jumping slightly when it had hit the first area of fuel. He headed as quickly as he could to the four wheeler, where Dave was waiting. He saw he had a phone in his hand. He knew what had taken so long now for it to start. He climbed on the four wheeler behind Dave, letting him drive and they headed down the road to the farm camp. 

For a while Karkat kept his face buried against Dave‘s back, willing things to go right and trying not to think about the finality of this departure. They would either die today or find freedom elsewhere for as long as they weren’t discovered. Dave stopped far enough away that their approach wouldn’t be seen or heard and they began heading down the path on foot. Karkat grasped for his hand and Dave took it firmly; they traded a look and continued on. They both jumped and swore softly when they heard the second four wheeler speeding their way before screeching to a halt. 

Karkat tightened his grip even more as the familiar bulky form of Auroch climbed off. “Where is he, Karkat?” He took one look at Dave and the phone in his other hand and then Karkat before he went for Dave first. He and Karkat parted and both drew their weapons; Dave blocked the hammer but his eyes widened behind his shades, as he worried the sword would give under the force of the blueblood.

He felt the pressure cease and Auroch let out a loud scream as Karkat slashed a shallow gash down the troll’s back. He swung for Karkat, who ducked it, and Dave took his opening to stab him through the back near where his lungs were. Auroch made a choked sound and managed to get a hand on Dave’s throat but Karkat struck him over the head with the blunt of his sickle. He didn’t move anymore and was still bleeding. Dave was bruised but otherwise unharmed. Karkat took the keys from Auroch’s belt.

“Shit… That’s just one less. Dave I don’t know how we’ll manage this if we have to fight many more.” Karkat wiped his sickle off and Dave cleaned his sword.

“We’re gonna have to hope we can sneak in without attracting attention. Things have been pretty quiet at the camp lately right? Bet things are kinda lax.” Dave took his hand again to walk with him.

“No Dave, they won’t be lax at a shipment. Not depending on who is overseeing it. If we’re lucky, it is like I said when we were planning, just a recording and a one troll crew dropping off bound prisoners. If we’re unlucky… start hoping we’re lucky for once.”

“I’m really starting to wonder if we’re boned, Karkat.” Dave sighed softly and tightened his grip on Karkat’s hand as they caught sight of the fences. “But I’m still not seeing us having any other choice than this.”

“No, there were no other options besides letting… look we know what would have had to happen to keep it from getting to this point. Neither of us were willing. Let’s just hope for the fucking best and try to get out of here.”

“I know and I am. I trust you.” Dave nudged his shoulder lightly with his own.

Karkat stayed silent for a moment before speaking. “I trust you too.” He looked the other way as if interested in the bushes and trees they were going by.

“What’s with the pause?” Dave nudged him again and grinned. “Was hoping I’d say something else?”

“Oh shut the fuck up before I go without you.” He nudged him back, smiling a little himself. “If we get out of this we can talk about that. Until then not another word, Strider.”

“Aye Aye, Commander.” Dave fell silent as they began to carefully make their way to the entrance. He let go of Karkat’s hand so the troll could climb up a tree.

“Looks like they are getting ready for the drop. No one in the towers. We might have gotten lucky and timed this just right.” Karkat slid down the truck and the two made their way to the gate. They could see the humans gather in the distance and trolls at different points to keep an eye out for any attempts at escape. “Now the only problem is hoping those kill-happy guards or the camp crew don’t spot us.”

“Yeah, I remember them. Wasn’t a troll in the camp that didn’t take advantage of a chance to keep us in line with _examples_. We’re gonna have to hope they don’t look over here. The shack at the entrance will give us a little cover if we get to it without being spotted but then it’s another wide open space.”

“I don’t know if walking or running would be better. I’d think quicker movement would draw the eye more but the longer we take the larger the chance we’ll be seen.”

“We could always wait to go in when the shipment arrives. Hope it gives us enough distraction.”

“And hope it doesn’t have a full crew.” Karkat shook his head and the two headed for the gate. “Hey… it isn’t even locked.”

“Guess Auroch was so worried about his buddy that he didn’t remember to close it.” Dave shrugged.

“His moirail Dave, or it seemed like it, though he was pretty fucking indulgent. I’m honestly surprised he didn’t come sooner, but I guess he didn’t get a chance he wouldn’t be missed until then.”

“It was an unplanned visit, right? Probably didn’t want him getting in trou-.” Dave stopped short as they heard the sound of a small starship’s engines overhead. It was a small freight class in bright red and it touched down and the lower hatch opened.   
Karkat unlocked the gate and the two of them made for the guard shack, peering around to see that a number of guards went up into the ship to bring down the new arrivals. While there were fewer guards they made a break for the supply house. Karkat swore when he spotted the access screen looked different. “Goddamnit. They fucking locked it down during the drop. The head of the facility is gonna have the access card, or the maintenance crew. All of them are probably down there.” He pulled at his hair and bounced on his legs. 

“Calm down. Get Jade on the line and see if maybe that troll dude there can do something about it. I’ll go out and see what’s going on and how much time we’ll have. Still got to have her announcement thing right?”

“Yes the recording they play to remind people of their places.” Karkat already had his husktop out and was trying to get access to the wifi. “There got it, you go on outside.”

“Alright, I’ll be careful.” Dave stepped carefully back out and could see the new prisoners were lined up in front of the larger group but all of the were facing the ship which rose up, hovered in place, and projected an image for the crowd.

Karkat stepped out soon after the message began, the voice making them both feel like their hackles were raised. “Jade and Equius are going to work on it, I did find a way to hook up my husktop but Equius isn’t a hacker. We’re going to be in trouble if something doesn’t happen soon. We have to get out of here Dave.”

“I’m not letting anyone do anything to us if I can help it. You got enough shit from them two for anyone… Let’s keep our fingers crossed.”

“Yeah, let’s not panic yet. There’s still ho-.” He and Dave both let out a yell when bloody arms took one of theirs each and tugged them firmly. Auroch growled for them to move and steered them towards the crowd. Karkat fought but the grip was too strong. Dave was faring no better.


	13. The Gardener and Stray Caught

Karkat’s face was pale and Dave wondered if he was going to puke. He doubted his face looked much better. He heard Karkat murmuring something about never turning your back on a body and winced a little realizing that yes, it had been a very foolish mistake not to make sure he was dead. The blueblood’s grip was as tight as a vice, but Dave found that if they didn’t keep their walking below brisk he made them slow down. The two attempted to drag their feet to prolong the walk but Auroch simply pressed on. Even in his weakened state he seemed to be putting all his effort into holding them and kept them moving forward.

“You traitor, and you fugitive are gonna get what’s coming to ya. You fucked up.” Auroch coughed and spat dark blue on the ground. They were close enough now that they’d been noticed.

Dave scanned the human crowd and could see whispers being passed along and some faces seemed to flicker into pity and others showed anger. The trolls seemed to become more lively as impassive or bored expressions changed to smirks and laughing. Dave found he had little chance to consider an escape attempt as the moment Auroch’s arm left him two other trolls had him. Karkat ended up having his wrists cuffed behind him and a blueblood taller and broader than Auroch shoved him to the ground and put his boot on his head. Dave attempted to yelled but he choked on it as a third troll tied a strip of cloth as a gag to keep him quiet.

“So Vantas, this is the thanks we get for keeping you alive and leaving you to yourself instead of keeping a constant eye on you. We’ll have to see if her Royal Excellence the All Great and Powerful still wishes your life to be spared.” The commander scowled as Auroch fell over, finally sucumbing to the blood loss. “Kill him, I’m not wasting medical supplies on a troll who couldn’t even keep his moirail from such foolish trouble.” 

A few guards dragged Auroch off and Dave couldn’t help wincing at the wet sound they soon heard even over the continuing recording. He wasn’t even really understanding anything the Condesce was saying, but it sounded like more of the same from when he’d been brought and the shipments he’d heard it during after. Words to spark loyalty and service from the trolls and obedience from the humans, reminders of their place in the troll hierarchy (the bottom), and threats.

Karkat let out a clicking hiss at the commander who only chuckled down at him. He clicked on the communicator that allowed him to instruct the pilot and spoke into it loud enough for not only Karkat but the whole crowd to heard over the Condesce and the engines. “I’m going to need you to get me her Royal Excellence the All Great and Powerful on screen but not the recording. I’m afraid I’ve got some bad business about the mutant.” Karkat felt like his body temperature dropped twenty degrees when he heard the “yes, sir.” 

Dave fought harder than ever but a cuff to the right side of the head made him rethink it. He stared in horror as the recording shut off and a dialing screen came up. A yellowblood barely visible in her mess of biowires and equipment came on for a moment.

“One moment please.” Her voice was nearly mechanical and her eyes had an odd glow you could barely see, they were almost fully shut. A standby screen came on for just a moment before it changed to not the Condesce or any of the members of the crew but to Gamzee’s face, eyes giving off an odd black and purple glow that spread to the rest of the trolls before any of them could react. 

Dave had to shut his eyes to block out the sight as staring had caused his whole body to go cold with some kind of fear and then he felt himself hit the ground, no longer being half-held up and his guards began to fight. He moved to get to Karkat who was trying to get up but was nearly stepped on by the large trolls fighting above him.

The human crowd seemed to hesitate for a moment, stunned both by the fear the Chucklevoodoos caused but also by the sudden infighting of their captors. Some however soon rallied them to moving and trying to arm themselves to finish them while they were fighting. 

Karkat had his eyes shut tightly still from the moment he’d heard the yellowblood operator. Dave pulled him close and hid his face against him, not attempting to get up but using his sheathed sword to try and redirect their paths any time the trolls came fighting near them. The carnage felt like it lasted a moment as well as forever. Many trolls had finished each other off but the last few were picked off by some of the now armed humans.

“Take care, Karkat, stay out of motherfucking trouble now.” The ship made a sudden turn and crashed hard into the section of fence by the very fields Karkat had been collecting bodies from. Dave pressed them both to the ground when it crashed. He rubbed Karkat’s back lightly, hearing him whimper softly.

“It’ll be okay.” He spotted the head of the compounds corpse near them and he managed to reach over and found every key and card to the place they could ever need. “We can get out of here now. It’s over.”

“You’re damn right it’s over.” Dave looked up and spotted a group of humans standing around them, all twice his age or older and all armed and scarred. “Or it will be as soon as you get off of that troll son. We’ll take care of him.”

“No.” Dave tossed the keys at the guy’s feet. “There’s part of what you’ll need to take over this fucking place and supply up before getting the hell out of here. You can have these once we leave. I’m not letting you have him. He saved me. He helped me. I would have died without him -he’s not like those monsters.”

“I don’t know what he put in your head but you know what they did to us. Even if he’s turned the moment it’s in his favor he’ll betray you to his kind. You heard that thing, he’s in trouble now. Bet they’ll put a pretty price on you for causing all this shit with him and he’ll chicken out and turn you over to save his own fucking skin.”

“Karkat’s not like that. He would never... SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW HIM!” Dave was shaking as he gripped Karkat tightly, trying to shield him. He could read the looks of pity on the faces, but he knew it wasn’t pity for both of them. It was just pity and worry he wasn’t thinking right. 

He tried to lean over Karkat more when people began to move but he felt Karkat throw him of and stand up before speaking loud enough that all could hear him. “Can people maybe stop being nookstains who talk the fuck about me and over me with me right there for once?” He lept back a few feet to be infront of everyone instead of surrounded, his arms still bound behind him. “I’m here. I can talk. I can talk about and for me. I don’t need him or anyone else telling other people who the fuck I am and how I fucking feel.”

Dave stood up slowly, shoulders slumped slightly and guilt pooling. ‘He’s right… Fuck why was I doing that? He’s gotta state his own case. I can’t keep trying to protect him from everything. Especially not if I’m going to stop remembering he’s a person when I do.’ Dave looked up to make eye contact and noticed that Karkat’s eyes seemed to be giving off some odd red light from his irises. With his shades on he could barely make out the glow but he could hear strange pleased hums from the humans around him as Karkat began talking about his life and how sorry he was about what the trolls were doing and how he’d tried to give decent burials and that he didn’t want things to be like this. He wondered how Karkat couldn’t notice how calm the crowd was becoming. He touched his shades for a moment before he moved slowly to Karkat’s side when he’d finished.

“I’m sorry, Karkat. We need to go though… before people change their minds.” He unlocked the cuffs with keys from a guard’s belt and took his hand. Karkat looked a little shocked at the humans’ state but he seemed to understand what Dave said suddenly and they rushed back to the supply house. Dave locked the door behind them and they could hear Jade and Nepeta and Equius taking turns asking if they were there, the machine was active again. “We’re coming, hold on. Shit went down, we’ll tell you more when we get there.” 

Karkat unplugged his husktop from the machine and packed it away after Jade finished giving them the instructions on how to input the location and also how to make the machine wipe the information after. Karkat gripped Dave’s hand tightly as they both stepped on, hoping they would come out on the other side alive and safe for now.


	14. Epilogue: New Beginnings and More Questions

Karkat was sitting on the cool sand of the beach. The moon was full on the water and he let his eyes stayed fixed on its reflection and glow. He didn’t look up when Dave joined him and wrapped an arm around him. “I can’t believe how lucky we got with Gamzee calling right then. Lucky as fuck he was on a transport he could contact us from. I don’t even want to think about the poor fucker he might have knocked out with nightmares to check on me.” He shuddered and rested his head on Dave’s.

“It was… something I can’t even put a word to that shit without it sounding just bland or me trying to make less of it.” Dave gripped his hand lightly, his arm more freckled than ever from the sun exposure he’d gotten since they came. “Does it feel real yet?”

“I’m not fucking sure what’s real anymore, but not I can’t believe we made it here. You know we can’t stay here forever. Especially if you want to try to help your friend.” Karkat nuzzled his cheek lightly.

“It can wait. You need some time to recover, I do too and I want more time to train. Plus I don’t want to make Jade and them have to act yet. Besides that ship’s still gonna be months until it’s ready to fly the way we want it. That’s what Horsie said anyway. Let’s enjoy the downtime while we can.” Dave smiled and kissed his shoulder. 

“Dave?” Karkat looked out over the water again.

“Yeah?” 

“Do you want to know what I wanted you to say before?” He nudged their shoulders lightly.

“You really remembered that after two months?” He nudged back.

“Dave.” Karkat butted his head lightly against Dave’s.

“Okay, okay I know you. You remember shit a lot better than most people. Yeah, I’d like to know. What was it?” Dave lowered his shades a little so their eyes could properly meet.

“I wanted you to say that you l-.”

“Hey you two, enjoying the beach?” Jade sat down behind them and put her arms around both of them. “Good to have you here.”

“Are you worried we’ll forget how happy you are if you stop saying it?” Dave smirked at her and snickered at the exasperated look on Karkat’s face. “I am, what about you Karkat?”

“The sand’s nice. Sun sucks.” Karkat smirked some too and they both leaned back to fall lightly on Jade, roll over, and hug her properly. “Good to have some friends nearby.”

Jade let out a triumphant yell and hugged Karkat tight enough to make him gasp. “He said it, he fucking said it! Oh my god Karkat it took you long enough to admit it.”

Dave shook his head and kept his lips shut tight to try to not laugh while Karkat screamed for her to let him go and that he was taking it all back. The noise attracted Nepeta and Equius and Dave couldn’t help laughing now when their appearance only made his complaints worse.

***

“You did your job and he put on quite the display for me.” The Condesce almost purred down at Gamzee who was kneeling before her throne on the bridge of her ship. “Best thing I’ve seen in ages. You were right to codtact me when you say he was in the shit. The probe caught his little speech and I got the proof I needed. He can keep thinking he’s free. He’ll fall into my hands soon enough. He’s even stronger than that last one, but I won’t let him or his talent slip away like _he_ did. You’ll stay on this ship with me, I’ve got use for you.” She smiled.

He stood and saluted, eyes out of focus. She chuckled and ran her fingers over her glowing tiara as he left. “I’ll set the hook when the time’s just right for that one. I’ll have that little crab eating out of my hands when I’m through.” 

****End of Conquestuck Act 1****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me over a year to finish the first part of this series and I'd like to thank all my wonderful betas and the readers that have stuck with it or have just joined us on the journey. Act two won't be for a while but look for it and other projects coming. There will be at least two other parts before we follow Dave and Karkat's journey again. Thank you so much for reading.


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